“The best amateur pitching prospects since…” is a statement that will always get the attention of fans and collectors alike. So is “1st overall draft pick”. And now, Rookie of the Year and Cy Young finalist. All of these have been used extensively to talk about Paul Skenes.
But who is Paul Skenes? And which Skenes cards are worth chasing? And what does the future hold for the young hurler and his cards?
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On July 9th, 2023 as the sport prepared for the celebrations that are the Home Run Derby and All Star Game, the MLB Draft got underway. To kick things off, Paul Skenes was taken #1 overall in the 2023 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 21 year old right handed starting pitcher has been called the best pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg.
The 6’6” hurler has a fastball that touches triple digits, a wipeout slider, and a changeup that has the potential to be a plus pitch. He is fresh off leading Louisiana State to the NCAA Championship. Skenes put up an epic season in 2023 with LSU, going 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA and an NCAA Division 1-leading 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings.
Skenes is the first player to win a College World Series, be named Most Outstanding Player in the tournament and go No. 1 overall in the Draft in the same year.
In 2023, Skenes made his pro debut, pitching a scant 6.2 innings over 5 starts across three minor league levels (rookie, A, and AA). In 2024, pitching in AAA despite his lack of big league experience, Skenes dominated in the early going in a league where he was more than 5 years younger than the average player. In his first 7 starts, covering 27.1 IP, he struck out 45 and had a 0.99 ERA.
This led to Paul Skenes getting called up to make his big league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 11, 2024. Skenes took the league by storm in a way few rookie pitchers have previously. In 23 starts, Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA. In 133 innings pitched, he struck out an epic 170 strikeouts. He capped off an amazing season by winning the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year award and finishing 3rd in the National League Cy Young award voting.
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Despite just wrapping his rookie season, Paul Skenes has already appeared on 3,432 cards, according to the Trading Card Database (TCDB.com).
As expected, many of Skenes early cards are from unlicensed producers like Leaf and Panini. But the licensed cards quickly followed, including the sought-after 1st Bowman (FBC) and his true rookie cards.
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Paul Skenes has his 1st Bowman cards, typically a player’s most popular early card, in the 2023 Bowman Draft product.
The base paper 2023 Bowman Draft is unsurprisingly the most affordable. PSA has graded over 8,300 of these, with roughly 56% of those in PSA 10 slabs.
In that grade, the only thing you should buy if you can help it, they sell for between $50 and $65. The total PSA population here is already very high, and one assumes continuing to rise as 2024 ends.
The 2023 Bowman Draft Chrome Paul Skenes card has been graded almost $4,000 times by PSA, with around 37% of those in PSA 10 slabs. Even though they aren’t rare, these sell strongly in the $120-200 range. This is likely the base card to get if you can get only one.
The 2023 Bowman Draft Chrome card also has a tough Image Variation, with him facing to the right on the card front. PSA has only graded 78 copies of the card, with a scant 15 PSA 10’s. There are no recent comp sales for one, as it’s a tough card.
The 2023 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospect Autographs is the key early autograph card of Paul Skenes. PSA has already graded 1,351 copies of the card, with 651 in PSA 10 slabs. They are already selling for $1,200 to $1,500. Expect those pop numbers and prices to go north if Skenes can build on the impressive start to his career.
Being ultra-modern Bowman offerings, all of these cards have a rainbow of parallel versions available. These will come at a variety of levels of rarity and price points. If you’re buying to invest, we suggest you grab the rarest parallel or autograph that is within your budget, as they tend to be much lower pop than the base cards.
| Card | Total PSA Pop | Recent Sale Pop | Recent Sale Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Bowman Draft Paul Skenes #BD-14 | 8,377 | PSA 10 = 4,715 | PSA 10 = $50-65 |
| 2023 Bowman Draft Chrome Paul Skenes #BDC-14 | 3,993 | PSA 10 = 1,470 | PSA 10 = $120-200 |
| 2023 Bowman Draft Chrome Paul Skenes #BDC-14b VAR | 78 | PSA 10 = 15 | PSA 10 = NA |
| 2023 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospect Autographs Paul Skenes #CDA-PS | 1,351 | PSA 10 = 651 | PSA 10 = $1,200-1,500 |
Paul Skenes had some additional early appearances on cards in 2023, just before and around the time of the draft. Unsurprisingly, these early cards were of the unlicensed persuasion. While they don’t hold the wide appeal of the 1st Bowman, they are some interesting early Skenes cards.
The vintage-themed 2023 Onyx Vintage offers a base card, plus autographed versions with various ink colors and ever-shrinking print runs.
2023 Panini USA Baseball Stars & Stripes features two base cards of Paul Skenes, plus a variety of parallels with various print runs. Autographed versions are also available.
In both cases, the base cards cost less, but the parallels fetch a little more, and the autographs cost significantly more.
As of this writing, Paul Skenes has already appeared on over 1,975 cards in 2024, according to the Trading Card Database (TCDB.com). Due to the product they are released in and the timing of Skenes debut, some are considered true rookie cards, while others are still prospect cards.
As with all ultra-modern cards, there are a dizzying array of variations, including parallels, autographs, and printing plates available.
The 2024 Bowman Chrome Prospects Paul Skenes #BCP-125 has been graded over 2,000 times already, and while it does not sport a Rookie Card logo, is sure to remain a card many people sub for grading.
With the higher population, prices are in the $40-50 range, which makes this a lower-priced buy if you’re looking to dabble in Skenes cards. If you’re considering subbing your copy, note that the gem rate here is only about 42%, which feels a touch low for an ultra-modern card.
The autographed 2024 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs Paul Skenes #CPA-PS has been graded only 225 times by PSA, with 113 in PSA 10 slabs. In that grade, they sell for between $400 and $900.
If you can find it at the lower end of that price range, it may be an option as a more affordable alternative to the 2023 Bowman 1st auto.
Many more recent 2024 releases don’t yet have sizable PSA populations, something sure to change quickly. Among these cards, the 2024 Topps Chrome Update #USC88 Rookie Debut and 2024 Topps Update Paul Skenes #US100 “true rookie” are two of the more sought-after.
The 2024 Stadium Club Paul Skenes #237 is another great-looking card that has the rookie card logo on it and should be quite popular.
Skenes also appears on retro-themed rookie cards in Topps 206 and Allen & Ginter, plus sets like Cosmic Chrome, Topps Five Star, Topps Museum Collection, Topps Pristine, and Topps Gilded Collection. He also has unlicensed options from Donruss, Leaf, Wild Card, and Panini.
| Card | Total PSA Pop | Recent Sale Pop | Recent Sale Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Bowman Chrome Prospects Paul Skenes #BCP-125 | 2,049 | PSA 10 = 860 | PSA 10 = $40-50 |
| 2024 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs Paul Skenes #CPA-PS | 225 | PSA 10 = 113 | PSA = $400-900 |
In 2019, Leaf included Paul Skenes in the 2019 Leaf Perfect Game National Showcase product. There are 25 versions of the card, from the Base Common, parallels with a variety of print runs, 1/1 print plates, and autographs, some of which are also 1/1s.
Interesting tidbits on these cards include that they’re from a high-school showcase, that PSA has graded very few of these, and Skenes appears…as a catcher.
That right, in addition to being a world-class pitcher, Skenes caught in high school as a two-way player. While he’s not expected to hit as a pro, it points to a player with impressive athleticism.
In ungraded condition, the base cards are fairly affordable, but the autographs, especially those with low print runs, start to get expensive quickly.
Shop for Paul Skenes baseball cards from 2019
Paul Skenes is the best pitching prospect in at least a generation, perhaps ever. In his first taste of the big leagues, he dominated the league. demand for his cards is very high right now.
Young pitchers are always a risk, but Skenes certainly has the pedigree to make some exciting things happen, which was confirmed by his amazing first year, which yielded a Rookie of the Year nod.
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What are your thoughts on 2023 MLB Draft #1 overall pick Paul Skenes? Think he’s the real deal? Are you hoarding his cards? Let us know at card_lines on Twitter.
Shop for Paul Skenes early cards on eBay
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