Former LSU RHP Paul Skenes becomes first Tiger to win Cy Young

BATON ROUGE, La. – Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes was named the winner on Wednesday night of the 2025 National League Cy Young Award, becoming the first former LSU pitcher to receive the honor.

A native of Lake Forest, Calif., the Pirates right-hander won the MLB ERA crown this season with a 1.97 mark, making him the first qualified pitcher with an ERA under 2.00 since Justin Verlander in 2022. Skenes also collected 216 strikeouts this season, tied for second-most in the NL, in 187.2 innings.

Skenes was also a National League Cy Young Award finalist in 2024 and finished third in last season’s voting. He was voted the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, and he has been the NL starting pitcher in each of the past two All-Star Games.

Skenes is the third former LSU pitcher to become a Cy Young Award finalist, joining right-hander Aaron Nola of the Philadelphia Phillies, who finished third in the 2018 National League Cy Young voting, and right-hander Kevin Gausman of the Toronto Blue Jays, who finished third in the 2023 American League Cy Young voting.

Skenes was the No. 1 overall selection by Pittsburgh in the 2023 MLB Draft, becoming just the second LSU player to be chosen first overall. A First-Team All-American, he led LSU to the 2023 College World Series title, and he was presented with the Dick Howser Trophy as the best player in NCAA Division I.

Also the 2023 D1 Baseball National Player of the Year and the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year, Skenes compiled a 13-2 record and a 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings with 20 walks and an SEC-record 209 strikeouts. He finished No. 1 in the nation in strikeouts (209), strikeouts per nine innings (15.33) and WHIP (0.75).

He was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 College World Series, as he was 1-0 in two starts with a 1.15 ERA in 15.2 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with two walks and 21 strikeouts.

LSU Press Release