Before Paul Skenes was blowing fastballs past pro hitters, before the national titles and draft-day suits, he was training for something very different: life as a U.S. Air Force pilot. He wasn’t just good at baseball-he was also preparing for a future in the sky.
But that dream hit a low ceiling-literally. As Skenes told Ryan Dempster and Kevin Millar on Intentional Talk, things changed when he rode in the backseat of an F-16 jet during his freshman year. “They’re small and I’m this size,” said the 6’6″ right-hander. “So they got the seat all the way down, and I’m hit. I am actually hitting my head on the top of it.”
That moment stuck with him. It wasn’t just the awkward fit. Skenes knew that staying at the Air Force Academy meant waiting until after graduation-and a military service commitment-before even thinking about going pro. So he made a bold choice: transfer to LSU, get on the radar, and chase the majors while he still could.
From Two-Way Threat to Future Ace
It’s wild to think about now, but back then, Skenes wasn’t just a pitcher. He was the guy at Air Force-a slugging catcher with real pop at the plate and a 2.73 ERA on the mound. His two-way excellence earned him the 2022 John Olerud Award, given to the best dual-threat player in college baseball.
At first, his pitching talent was almost an afterthought. During fall scrimmages, coaches were more focused on his bat-he was even floated as a leadoff hitter just to get him more swings. But everything changed during one intrasquad game when he took the mound and casually fired a 94 mph fastball. That sound off the catcher’s glove? It turned heads. Fast.
Paul Skenes transferred from Air Force to LSU because he couldnt fit into a fighter jet anymore? @Pirates | @Dempster46 | @KMillar15pic.twitter.com/d2gw3TnDF9
? Intentional Talk (@IntentionalTalk) August 5, 2025
Soon, Skenes was doing double duty: starting games as a catcher and closing them on the mound. His calm presence and sharp mind made it look effortless. Still, the grind was real-and transferring to LSU meant narrowing his focus. There, under the national spotlight, he became a pure pitcher. And a terrifying one at that.
At LSU, he didn’t just improve-he dominated. With a fastball that ticked 100 and a demeanor built for pressure, he helped lead the Tigers to a national championship in 2023. MLB Pipeline called him “the most MLB-ready college pitcher in years.” That summer, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him No. 1 overall in the draft.
Now, he’s the kind of arm that franchises build around. The kind that fills stadiums. The kind that makes hitters nervous in the on-deck circle. And the crazy part? It might never have happened if he’d fit a little more comfortably in that fighter jet.
Read the full article here
