Paul Skenes adjusting to 'easing in'

2023 first overall pick Paul Skenes is learning how to adjust to the 'easing in' part of build up for the season.

Paul Skenes is a competitor. It’s very difficult for a competitor to ease up when it’s go time.

As he prepares to take the mound in his second Triple-A start on Friday night, the Pirates also have a plan in protecting their top minor league asset. When it comes to development, sometimes the two plans don’t always line up.

Last year, there were no training wheels for Skenes in leading LSU to the National Championship. This year is drastically different. As Skenes approaches baseball‘s highest level, he’s trying to find himself while getting stretched out slowly and taking the ball every fifth day.

The right-handed top prospect has some elements that he looks to find in Triple-A. The biggest is figuring out how he stacks up against other, more professionally experienced top prospects.

“I think the biggest thing (to work on in Triple-A) is just building up,“ Skenes said. “Seeing how my stuff plays for sure. That’s part of spring training, just throwing my stuff, throwing all my pitches and just seeing how my stuff works. It’s tough to do when I’m only throwing one inning or two innings at a time. Building volume and getting ready for the long season ahead, and the long seasons ahead. I’m just trying to go out there and win and see how my stuff plays against these hitters. They’ll tell me what I need to work on.“

With part of the build-up, Skenes will eventually have to adjust to pitching more than just once a week, as he did in college. With the current Triple-A scheduling format, he will only have to pitch multiple times in a week every month or so.

However, he admitted that it is a question he has fielded several times and it is also one that has been on his mind. Skenes said that he has been asked by reporters, people within the organization, and players in college, preparing for a similar situation.

He believes that it will not be a significant adjustment into a normal rotation. Skenes also believes that the challenge will be training and weight work. However, adjusting from a college lifestyle with classes into a professional environment, he will have more time in the day.

As for his current body and preparation, Skenes said that he feels fully ready to go and was honest about the hard work he put in during the offseason to get there.

With that hard work, he admitted that he also has a hard time pumping the brakes. He said that trying to refine five different pitches in just an inning or two is a challenge.

“It’s frustrating sometimes, going one or two innings at a time,“ Skenes said. “Those are some conversations I’ve had with some of our pitching coaches. I understand there’s a method to the madness, but it doesn’t mean it’s not frustrating. That’s kind of what I do, is go out there for a lot of innings in a game, and compete as long as I can.“

In getting to eventually work deeper into games in Triple-A, Skenes is looking forward to seeing how hitters react to his different offerings to further polish for the next level. While Friday night will likely be another short outing, Skenes will eventually get his opportunity to shine and get that answer on how to refine himself.