Report: Pirates' Paul Skenes, No. 1 MLB Draft Pick, Gets Record $9.2M Contract Bonus

The summer of 2023 has been life-changing for Paul Skenes.

After the right-handed hurler led LSU to a national championship in the College World Series, he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and on Tuesday he received a $9.2 million signing bonus, which broke the record for highest draft bonus in MLB history.

"I'm grateful for having Ben [Cherington] and Mr. [Bob] Nutting allow me to be a part of this organization," Skenes said Tuesday, per Kevin Gorman of TribLIVE.com. "I can't wait to win. I'm excited to be a Pirate, can't wait to be a part of a group that wins another World Series."

Skenes began his career at Air Force but transferred to LSU for his junior year in 2022-23. The 6'6" flamethrower went 13-2 with a 1.69 ERA, a 0.75 WHIP and a .165 opponents' batting average in 19 starts. He set an SEC record with a total of 209 strikeouts on the year on his way to earning the National Pitcher of the Year Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.

After notching 21 strikeouts over two starts in the College World Series, Skenes was named Most Outstanding Player. He is the first pitcher ever to win a CWS title, earn MOP honors and be drafted No. 1 overall in the same year.

"What Paul did this spring and has done throughout his college career speaks for itself," Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. "As we got to know Paul, it just solidified for us, very clearly on our minds, this is a person we want to go into this together with."

Skenes is set to begin his professional career in the Florida Complex League.