BRADENTON, Fl. — Pirates phenom Paul Skenes left no doubt last season that he belongs on the diamond, but even with all the talent in the world, he didn’t always see himself in the Major Leagues.
In an exclusive interview with Channel 11′s Shelby Cassesse at Pirates spring training in Bradenton, FL, Skenes said he long envisioned himself in the military.
Though his life went in a drastically different direction, it’s clear his passion for the military shaped the man Pirates fans see on the mound.
“I’m a big believer that how you do anything is how you do everything,” Skenes said. “You can’t really flip a switch.”
That mentality was solidified over two years at the Air Force Academy and growing up in awe of those who served.
“We can never repay what they do. They put their lives on the line for us, for our freedom every day.”
Skenes tells Channel 11 that he saw himself in the military as early as his freshman year of high school, and his time at the Air Force Academy almost exceeded expectations.
“I get there. I meet all of these unbelievable individuals that elevate me, that make me better because I’m around them all the time.”
Soon enough, he hit a crossroads between the military and baseball.
It was tough to ignore the trajectory of his game, and transferring to LSU was the best option for a shot at the Major Leagues.
“Basically, I get one shot play baseball in my whole life, and I get a bunch of opportunities to serve in the military. You can do it when you’re old. You can do it when you’re young.” he said. “I left and that was kind of a tough pill to swallow just because the individuals that you’re going to be around at the Air Force Academy and in the military, you’re never going to be around that type of individual again.”
That decision transformed his game, launching him to the number one pick in the MLB draft, but he’s never shied away from his military influence, even in the biggest moments.
Skenes went viral for his seemingly unphased reaction to winning National League Rookie of the Year in November.
Meeting with reporters that night, he was asked how he planned to celebrate.
“Going to sleep early and getting back to work tomorrow,” Skenes said on a video call.
His even-keeled temperament on a journey to stardom has been one of his most notable qualities through one year in Pittsburgh.
Skenes credits both his parents and his time at the Air Force Academy.
“Being at Air Force for a couple years does that to you. I think because there’s a lot of BS that you have to put up with there, frankly. I like to think of it as they’re trying to fit 18 hours worth of stuff in 16 hours in a day so that you can get your eight hours of sleep, and they’re always kind of throwing stuff at you to see how you can handle it.”
All signs point to a long and even historic baseball career ahead for Skenes, but once that chapter ends, he knows what opportunities are waiting.
“Coaching at Air Force, Army, Navy, one of those schools just because the coaches have such a big impact on you,” he said. “I want to kind of pay it forward and be able to have that effect on people hopefully 20-25 years down the line.”
In the meantime, Skenes is using his platform to stay involved. Last season, he donated $17,000 for his 170 strikeouts to the Gary Sinise Foundation, which supports service members and first responders.
The organization also sent grant money to Pittsburgh-area first responders.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
