In a captivating display at the College World Series, LSU’s standout players commanded the attention of all. Their brilliance extended to the pinnacle of baseball’s amateur draft.
On Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a resounding choice by selecting the talented LSU right-handed pitcher, Paul Skenes, renowned for his impressive velocity, as the top pick in the draft. Following suit, the Washington Nationals secured their own gem by taking Dylan Crews, Skenes’ teammate, as the second overall pick.
This unprecedented moment marked the first instance in the draft’s history where teammates were chosen consecutively as the top two picks.
“It’s an incredibly humbling experience. I was completely stunned when I heard the news,” expressed Skenes. “A year ago, or even two years ago, I never imagined that being the first overall pick was even a possibility. I had no idea what to expect today, but this means the world to me.”
Skenes’ outstanding performance for the Tigers, with a record of 12-3 and an impressive 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings, played a pivotal role in leading LSU to the College World Series championship. The announcement of his selection was made by the legendary Hall of Famer, Ken Griffey Jr., who himself was the top pick in the 1987 draft by the Seattle Mariners.
Notably, Skenes became the first college pitcher to be chosen as the No. 1 overall pick since Casey Mize in 2018, who was selected by the Detroit Tigers.
“He had an exceptional season at LSU. He showed remarkable growth this spring,” commented Pittsburgh’s general manager, Ben Cherington. “His repertoire of pitches is truly special, and it’s not just about one particular pitch, but also his command and mix of pitches that make him stand out.”
This marks the second time in three years that the Pirates held the top overall selection, having won the first draft lottery and surpassed Washington in the selection order. In 2021, the Pirates chose catcher Henry Davis with the first pick, who recently made his major league debut for Pittsburgh.
It is anticipated that Skenes’ signing bonus will align closely with the slot value of approximately $9.7 million. Cherington expressed optimism that an agreement can be reached swiftly, allowing Skenes to join the Pirates organization and potentially pitch in 2023.
“We want to ensure that the schedule and progression align with what makes sense for him since it has been a while since he last pitched in the World Series,” stated Cherington regarding Skenes’ upcoming plans.
The decision for the top pick appeared to be a deliberation between Skenes and Crews. However, it didn’t take long for Crews to be chosen after his remarkable performance as a center fielder for the Tigers, boasting a batting average of .426 and hitting 18 home runs. Crews showcased his talent with a notable 26-game hitting streak during his outstanding season and concluded his tenure at LSU by reaching base in each of his final 75 college games.
Crews mentioned that although he has never been to Washington, he grew up watching the Nationals and admired Bryce Harper.
“Seeing him in a Nationals uniform was truly amazing,” expressed Crews. “I’m going to bring my own style to the game and hopefully make a significant impact, just like him. He’s a complete player.”
With the selection of Crews, Washington chose a college position player as its first pick for the first time since Anthony Rendon in 2011.
“He’s someone we’ve been following since his high school days,” commented Mike Rizzo, the Nationals’ president of baseball operations. “He possesses the qualities we value here in Washington. He’s not only a tremendous athlete but also an exceptional person with great character. He’s highly competitive and a proven winner.”
On the first day of the draft, LSU had a total of four players selected. Alongside Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews, right-handed pitchers Ty Floyd and Grant Taylor were also chosen. Floyd was selected at No. 38 by the Cincinnati Reds, while Taylor went at No. 51 to the Chicago White Sox.
With the third overall pick, the Detroit Tigers opted for high school outfielder Max Clark from Franklin, Indiana. Clark had an exceptional high school season, earning the title of Gatorade National Player of the Year after batting .646 with six home runs and 33 RBIs.
The first round of the draft primarily favored college players, with 17 of the 28 selections coming from the collegiate level. Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford was chosen as the fourth pick by the Texas Rangers, while high school outfielder Walker Jenkins from Oak Island, North Carolina, went fifth to the Minnesota Twins.
At No. 6, the Oakland Athletics selected college shortstop Jacob Wilson, who happens to be the son of former major league shortstop Jack Wilson. Wilson played at Grand Canyon University.
The Cincinnati Reds secured Wake Forest right-hander Rhett Lowder at No. 7, followed by the Kansas City Royals selecting high school catcher Blake Mitchell from Sinton, Texas, at No. 8. The Colorado Rockies rounded out the first round by picking Tennessee right-hander Chase Dollander.
The top 10 picks of the draft concluded with the Miami Marlins selecting high school right-handed pitcher Noble Meyer from Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon.
The first round came to an end with the Houston Astros choosing Nebraska shortstop Bryce Matthews at No. 28. However, Commissioner Rob Manfred had to pause briefly during the announcement due to boos from the crowd in response to the mention of the Astros.
The Seattle Mariners stood out as the only team with three picks within the first 39 selections. They earned an extra promotion incentive pick under the new collective bargaining agreement, as a result of Julio Rodríguez winning the AL Rookie of the Year award last season and gaining a full year of major league service. Seattle used that incentive pick to select high school outfielder Jonny Farmelo from Chantilly, Virginia. Additionally, the Mariners picked high school shortstops Colt Emerson from New Concord, Ohio, at No. 22, and Tai Peete from Sharpsburg, Georgia, at No. 30.
Both the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers had their first-round picks dropped by 10 spots due to exceeding the luxury tax threshold by more than $40 million in the previous year. As a result, the Mets selected high school shortstop Colin Houck from Lilburn, Georgia, at No. 32, while the Dodgers chose high school outfielder Kendall George from Humble, Texas, at No. 36.
