PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ standout right-handed starter, has emerged as one of Major League Baseball’s premier talents in 2025, attracting attention from rival clubs eager to acquire the young phenom.
According to a report by New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the New York Yankees were among a select group of teams that reached out regarding Skenes, going so far as to offer discussions involving elite prospects like shortstop/second baseman George Lombard Jr. and outfielder Spencer Jones.
This inquiry surfaced after Pirates GM Ben Cherington publicly declared in late May that the team had no plans to move the 23-year-old, amid growing rumors of external interest.
Heyman noted: “The Yankees were one of just a few teams (under five) that followed up on Paul Skenes, even after it became clear the Pirates weren’t open to a deal for the Cy Young frontrunner. That’s the only instance where the Yankees entertained talks about Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr. However, negotiations fizzled out quickly. … They reasoned a quick call wouldn’t do any harm.”
MLB Pipeline currently lists Lombard as the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect and the 24th-best overall in baseball, while Jones holds the third spot in the Yankees’ system and ranks 87th league-wide.
The 20-year-old Lombard has posted a .214/.337/.357 slash line with a .694 OPS across 108 games at Double-A Somerset, collecting 82 hits—including 23 doubles, four triples, and eight homers—along with 35 RBIs in 163 at-bats.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Jones has excelled with a .272/.335/.544 line and .879 OPS in 60 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, racking up 65 hits (featuring 12 doubles, one triple, and 17 home runs), 41 RBIs, 21 walks, and 100 strikeouts.
Skenes delivered a remarkable rookie campaign in 2024, going 11-3 over 23 starts with a 1.96 ERA across 133 innings. He surrendered only 29 earned runs on 94 hits, six homers, and 32 walks, while fanning 170 batters and limiting opponents to a .198 average. His dominance shone through with an 11.50 K/9 rate and a stellar 0.95 WHIP.
That performance secured him All-MLB First Team recognition, a third-place finish in NL Cy Young voting, and the National League Rookie of the Year honor.
Skenes has carried that momentum into 2025, compiling a 10-9 mark in 30 starts with a 1.92 ERA over 178 innings. He’s struck out 203 against 39 walks, held hitters to .193, and maintained a 0.92 WHIP.
Among MLB’s elite hurlers, Skenes leads in ERA, sits third in strikeouts and WHIP, shares fourth in opponents’ batting average, and ranks fifth in innings pitched.
His career 1.94 ERA through 53 starts stands as the lowest in baseball history, and he made history as the first pitcher to start back-to-back All-Star Games in his initial two seasons.
Currently in the second year of a three-year pre-arbitration deal, Skenes earns about $875,000 base salary plus incentives. He’ll enter three arbitration-eligible seasons next, reaching free agency after 2029.
Heyman added that Skenes is expected to ink a long-term extension with Pittsburgh, and the Pirates would only consider trading him if they doubt he’ll commit before free agency arrives.
Source: SI.com
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