WATCH: Olivia Dunne's exciting reaction as boyfriend Paul Skenes gets called up by Pirates to pitch in MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that they will call up Paul Skenes to make his major league debut against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. The 21-year-old was the top overall pick in the MLB Draft last year and is considered one of the top prospects in the minors.
Skenes is dating LSU gymnast and social media figure Olivia Dunne, who posted a celebratory video after the news, with the caption:
"POV: you both wake up from a nap and find out he's in the MLB"
Paul Skenes was born and brought up in Orange Country, California, and went on to play college baseball with the LSU Tigers in 2022.
He entered the 2023 MLB Draft as one of the most exciting prospects and was the first overall pick made by the Pittsbirgh Pirates. Since then, he has been hugely impressive in the minors and was called for Spring Training with the Pirates this year.
Skenes has been dominating for the Triple-A Indianapolis in the minors this year. He has pitched 27.1 innings this year, recording a 0.99 ERA with 45 strikeouts and just one home run.
The pitcher started dating popular gymnast Olivia Dunne during their time in LSU together and has become a well-known couple among sports fans in the country. Dunne has always been supportive of Skenes' meteoric rise, as is evident from her video on social media.
Pirates pitching prospect Paul Skenes talks about his hobbies ahead of major league debut vs Cubs
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Paul Skenes has been dominating the minor leagues and is now set to make his major league debut against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Speaking on his hobbies recently, the 21-year-old said:
"I like to read, watch movies, and really just hang out with my teammates, that kind of thing."
The Pirates are coming off a 2-1 defeat in their series against the Los Angeles Angels and will look to do better against the Cubs over the weekend. Skenes' performances so far indicate that he's more than ready for the majors and could be a great addition to the Pirates rotation this year.