Paul Skenes wins Cy Young Award, makes LSU history

LSU Baseball’s storied history added another milestone this week when former pitcher Paul Skenes won the Cy Young Award.

The Pittsburgh Pirates star was named the 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner on Wednesday, becoming the first former LSU pitcher to receive the honor.

Skenes, who was a finalist for the award in 2024, turned in the MLB’s best earned run average this season (1.97), becoming the first qualified pitcher with a sub 2.00 ERA since Justin Verlander achieved the feat in 2022.

Skenes’ 216 strikeouts across 187.2 innings pitched was the second-most in the National League.

The California native, who has been the National League starting pitcher in each of the past two MLB All-Star Games, joined Aaron Nola and Kevin Gausman as the third former LSU pitcher to become a Cy Young Award finalists. Nola finished third in the 2018 voting, while Gausman finished third in 2023.

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.

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