Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes has been named the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Defeating outfielders Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres and Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers, Skenes is the first Pirate to win the award since 2004 and the first NL starting pitcher since 2014.
Selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB draft, Skenes made his debut with the Pirates just 10 months later, quickly establishing himself as the team’s ace.
With 23 first-place votes and seven second-place votes, Skenes’ impressive performance led him to victory. His rookie season included 11 wins in 23 starts, a 1.96 ERA, and 170 strikeouts in 133 innings.
Named a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award, Skenes held opponents to a .198 batting average and showcased his power with the most 100 mph pitches in MLB.
Despite the Pirates’ last-place finish in the NL Central, Skenes provided hope for fans, starting in the All-Star Game as only the fifth rookie pitcher to do so.
His remarkable rookie season has generated significant interest, with the team itself eager to acquire his autographed MLB Debut rookie card.