In a historic moment for the MLB draft, both the first and second picks came from LSU, the school that recently won the College World Series. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected LSU’s ace, Paul Skenes, as the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the Washington Nationals choosing outfielder Dylan Crews at No. 2.
Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington expressed that Skenes was their top choice and praised his talent. They saw Skenes as a player who could potentially start in the big leagues as early as 2024. Skenes was named the most outstanding player at the College World Series, joining the ranks of elite prospects like Adley Rutschman and Dansby Swanson who have received the same honor and then went on to be No. 1 overall picks. Crews, on the other hand, won the prestigious Golden Spikes Award, recognizing him as the best amateur player in the country.
When asked if they had discussed who would go first, Crews stated that they hadn’t and spoke highly of Skenes as a hardworking individual. He expressed his happiness with joining the Washington Nationals organization.
Leading up to the draft, there was a level of uncertainty surrounding the Pirates’ intentions, causing other teams picking soon after them to make quick decisions once the Pirates selected Skenes. Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo mentioned that while they would have preferred to have their choice of all the players, they were thrilled to have Dylan Crews.
This draft class was considered one of the strongest in over a decade, with any of the projected top five picks having a case to be No. 1. Skenes drew comparisons to Stephen Strasburg, who was chosen first by the Nationals in 2009. The Pirates’ selection of Skenes forced the Nationals to pivot to his teammate, Crews.
MLB staged this year’s draft at Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, as part of their efforts to raise the draft’s profile. While other sport drafts attract top picks in person, MLB’s draft hasn’t reached that level yet. However, this year, Jacob Wilson from Grand Canyon University appeared on stage when the Oakland Athletics selected him at No. 6.
The top five picks unfolded as predicted, with Max Clark, an outfielder from an Indiana high school, going to the Detroit Tigers at No. 3, and Wyatt Langford, an outfielder from the Florida team that lost to LSU in the College World Series final, being chosen by the Texas Rangers at No. 4. The Minnesota Twins selected Walker Jenkins, an outfielder from a high school in North Carolina, at No. 5.
The Chicago Cubs drafted Maryland shortstop Matt Shaw at No. 13, making him the highest-ever Terrapins draftee. Bryce Eldridge, a Madison High standout from Vienna, VA, was chosen by the San Francisco Giants at No. 16. Eldridge has been compared to Bryce Harper and Shohei Ohtani due to his skills on the mound and at the plate. The Giants also selected Reggie Crawford, another two-way star, at No. 30, indicating their openness to players pursuing both pitching and hitting paths.
Skenes, who previously played as a catcher-pitcher, impressed with his performance both at the plate and on the mound. Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington did not rule out a two-way career for Skenes but emphasized their focus on developing him as a starting pitcher. Skenes expressed his excitement for the future of LSU baseball and the success of the program under Coach Jay Johnson.
In conclusion, the MLB draft made history with the top two picks coming from LSU. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Paul Skenes as the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the Washington Nationals choosing Dylan Crews at No. 2. Both players were highly regarded and had outstanding performances in college. The draft class was considered one of the strongest in recent years, with multiple players deserving of the top spot. The draft took place at Lumen Field, and while not as well-attended as other sport drafts, it brought excitement and anticipation for the future of these young prospects.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
