Paul Skenes pumps triple digits on mound during MLB Spring Breakout versus Orioles
One of the best things baseball has come up with recently was the MLB Spring Breakout games featuring rosters of teams top prospects within their organization.
On Thursday afternoon, the Orioles and Pirates featured many of the games top starts including two No. 1 overall picks in Paul Skenes and Jackson Holliday.
In the first inning, Skenes and Holliday faced off against one another for the second time this spring. During their first meeting, Skenes forced the Orioles top shortstop prospect to ground out. The baseball world was not able to watch that at-bat because the game was not televised. Video of the at-bat was taken by baseball reporters to share with fans on social media.
For their second meeting, Holliday stepped into the box to face Skenes in the must-see match up. After a six-pitch at-bat, featuring the Pirates top pitching prospect pumping two 101 mph fastballs and one 102 mph heater, gets Holliday to strikeout on a 91.6 mph slider.
"That’s why we play the game, to have cool matchups like that," Skenes said to reporters following the game. "As much as we can do that, it’s cool."
Fans were excited to watch Skenes and Holliday, but the right-hander wasn’t focusing solely on one player in the lineup. Skenes knows how good Holliday is but also understood the Orioles offer many of the games top prospects and future stars.
“I look at the lineup and just try to figure out ways to get guys out. I’ve had, not trouble, but experiences where you put too much focus on one guy and then the seven hitter gets you three times, which is a way worse feeling than if the guy that you spent so much time and energy preparing for gets you because that’s kinda what he’s supposed to do, he’s good for a reason," Skenes said. "The emphasis for me is figuring out a plan for everybody in the lineup and as long as that takes, it takes. It might take longer for some guys, it definitely took longer for Holliday because he’s a good hitter. You gotta figure out ways to get hitters out and it takes longer sometimes, but I’m just trying to be as objective as possible with it.”
Watch the full at-bat here:
