Wow, I’ve really come to admire Paul Skens, and that admiration just keeps growing! (Not channeling Diddy here.)
In less than a year, Team USA is getting ready for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and the roster is shaping up nicely.
At first, it was announced that Mark DeLosa would take the helm as manager once again. Shortly after, Aaron Judge was named the team captain, marking his debut in the WBC. Now, there’s exciting news—Team USA has added Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skens, who’s quickly becoming a standout pitcher. Major League Baseball shared this update.
At just 23, Skenes has already made waves in his second MLB season and will turn 24 on May 29th. He was the top pick by Pittsburgh in the 2023 MLB Draft, and just a year later, he’s already making an impact in the majors. In 2024, he earned the National League Rookie of the Year title, boasting an impressive 1.96 ERA and striking out 11.5 batters per nine innings. That summer, he managed to get a third of the opposing players out, with grounders accounting for more than half of his pitches.
In short, Team USA has scored a major player.
Paul Skens will take the mound for Team USA in 2026 #worldbaseballclassic 🔥 pic.twitter.com/kjxj95l3un
– MLB (@MLB) May 13, 2025
With the black and yellow of Pittsburgh blending with the red, white, and blue of the USA, it’s quite the sight—especially with Olivia Dunn by his side.
Paul Skens is well on his way to becoming a legend.
