A video of Paul Skenes pitching during spring training on Monday went viral because of the loud noise his fastball produced when caught.
Skenes, who was the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates last year, was pitching in a Grapefruit League game between his Pirates and the Tampa Bay Rays. Skenes is a flamethrower, and the sound his fastball made when it hit the mitt of catcher Henry Davis was ridiculously loud:
The Sound of Paul Skenes' Fastball. 🔊 pic.twitter.com/hpmEaTTtxD
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 4, 2024
Sure, some proper placement from the field microphones may have embellished things a bit, but there is no doubt about how hard Skenes throws.
Skenes regularly tops 100 mph as a starter. He was completely dominant at LSU last year and went 13-2 with a 1.69 ERA and 0.75 WHIP while striking out 209 batters. He later appeared in five minor league games upon signing his contract with Pittsburgh.
Between Skenes and 2021 No. 1 overall pick Davis, the Pirates have some very exciting young players.
