Pitching Prospects the Rockies should target in the 2023 MLB draft

Paul Skenes

Paul Skenes might be the best pitcher in the country coming out in the 2023 MLB draft. He would be the most ideal fit for the Rockies and is likely to be the first pitcher too come of the board in the draft. However, in most MLB mock drafts, Skenes is projected to be drafted by the Washington Nationals. However, if he is passed on for whatever reason, he could very well end up on the Rockies as most mock drafts have position players drafted in the early rounds which could make it possible for Skenes to end up with the Rockies.

Skenes just might be the perfect pitcher for the Rockies. The 21-year-old from Fullerton CA. is the most MLB-ready player coming out in this draft. The Rockies could see Skenes on the 2024 opening day roster or in the Majors by sometime next year. Prior to his time at LSU where he helped the Tigers win the College World Series, he spent two seasons enrolled at the Air Force Academy and played exceptionally well for the Falcons. This is noteworthy because the Air Force Academy is situated in Colorado, which has given him experience in pitching in the area as pitching in the Colorado altitude has been one of the biggest challenges in all of baseball.

Skenes has pitched in big moments early in his career which is exactly what the Rockies need in a pitcher. This past season, he went 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA in 19 games pitched. He also has proven he can go the distance in games as he pitched in a total of 122.2 innings pitched and had 209 strikeouts for the LSU Tigers. Another stat that is important to highlight with Skenes is the fact he only gave up seven home runs last year. Right now the Rockies rank 2nd in all of baseball for home runs given up at 125. A pitcher like Skenes could make an immediate impact for a team looking to bolster their pitching staff.