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- Was Paul Skenes in the Air Force?
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Before Paul Skenes became the Pittsburgh Pirates’ ace, he was navigating a completely different path that could’ve taken him far from a baseball diamond.
Skenes spent two years at the Air Force Academy, where his future could’ve involved deployments rather than playoff races. But baseball won out, which meant leaving the Academy behind entirely.
Still, Skenes credits those two years for shaping who he is today. Here’s how his time at Air Force set the stage for everything that followed.
Paul Skenes’ Air Force Years
Skenes committed to Air Force straight out of high school, arriving in 2020 just as COVID wiped out his senior baseball season. That meant no chance to test MLB draft waters, though he wasn’t planning to enter anyway.
Those two years proved crucial for his development beyond baseball.
“But in terms of personal development, meeting the people that I did, and I think just becoming the person that I am right now, I think that was the best place for me,” Skenes said in 2023.
The way he sees it, Air Force provided something you can’t get elsewhere.
Where did Paul Skenes go to college
After two seasons at Air Force, Skenes transferred to LSU in 2022 to pursue his baseball career more aggressively. He spent just one dominant year in Baton Rouge before entering the MLB Draft.
At Air Force, Skenes was a true two-way player – pitching, catching, and hitting designated hitter. He started as a closer but evolved into the ace while also producing serious power numbers.
Was Paul Skenes a pilot?
Since Skenes only stayed two years, he never advanced far enough in the program to become a pilot or face military service obligations.
Why did Paul Skenes leave Air Force?
This is where things get interesting. A third year at Air Force would’ve put Skenes at risk of being drafted into military service, which could’ve meant sitting out baseball for a year. To protect his baseball future and enter the 2023 MLB Draft, he had to transfer.
Here’s how Skenes explained the situation:
“So even if you’re still in Minor League Baseball, Major League Baseball. If you’re still in the Air Force, they can pull it away from you, which isn’t a super common thing but you see it occasionally. I didn’t want anyone to take it out from under me.”
Paul Skenes Air Force letter
Ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Skenes wrote a letter for The Players Tribune that revealed his deep respect for military service and his time at the Academy.
“I was never deployed myself, but I know how much pride those individuals take in wearing that uniform — with your name on the right side of your chest and the U.S. Air Force or Army lettering on the left side…because that’s what you put over your heart.”
Even after transferring to LSU, Skenes wanted to maintain his Air Force connections. There were times he actually wished he’d been drafted as an Air Force cadet rather than as an LSU Tiger.
“Something about me just didn’t want to lose my connection to a lifestyle and set of principles that I respect unconditionally.”
Paul Skenes Air Force stats
Skenes’ Air Force numbers show just how dominant he was as a two-way player:
Pitching:
- Games: 33
- Starts: 15
- Innings: 112.1
- Record: 11-4
- ERA: 2.72
- Strikeouts: 126
- Saves: 11
Hitting:
- Games: 100
- BA: .367
- OBP: .453
- SLG: .669
- HR: 24
- RBI: 81
- Hits: 125
- Runs: 88
Those hitting numbers are pretty remarkable. An OPS over 1.000 and 24 homers in 100 games while also closing games and starting on the mound? That’s elite two-way production.
Skenes evolved from closer to starter between his freshman and sophomore years, going 10-3 with a 2.73 ERA in 15 starts as a sophomore while maintaining that hitting production behind the plate and at DH.
Paul Skenes LSU stats
- Games: 19
- Innings: 122.2
- Record: 13-2
- ERA: 1.69
- WHIP: 0.750
- Strikeouts: 209
That one season at LSU was enough to make him the first overall pick. A 1.69 ERA with 209 strikeouts in just 19 starts? Those are video game numbers.
Paul Skenes MLB stats
| Year | Games | Innings | Record | ERA | WHIP | SO |
| 2024 | 23 | 133.0 | 11-3 | 1.96 | 0.947 | 170 |
| 2025 | 32 | 187.2 | 10-10 | 1.97 | 0.948 | 216 |
The consistency is almost unsettling – nearly identical ERAs and WHIPs across his first two seasons. That dominance earned him the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and 2025 NL Cy Young awards.
Paul Skenes Air Force highlights
Most available highlights from Skenes’ Air Force days actually showcase his hitting rather than his pitching. Makes sense when you’re putting up those offensive numbers.
Paul Skenes Air Force jersey
Fans can buy a Paul Skenes Air Force jersey here.
Looking back, it’s clear those two years at Air Force provided more than just baseball development. They shaped Skenes’ character and work ethic in ways that LSU and the pros have built upon. The path from potential military service to Cy Young winner isn’t conventional, but then again, neither is Paul Skenes.
