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It's almost impossible for a rookie's season to go as well as Paul Skenes' did in 2024. Only a year after being selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Skenes came into MLB and dominated from the jump. He was nearly unhittable, putting together the best rookie season by a starting pitcher ever. That earned him a start in the All-Star Game and, naturally, the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
It's not too often that a player delivers on his hype so quickly, but Skenes has done it. He was already a notable figure due to his collegiate success at LSU and relationship with social media sensation Olivia Dunne, but Skenes reached superstardom due to his performances on the mound. That was made clear when a special edition trading card of his took the Internet by storm.
Paul Skenes debut patch autograph card up to $780,000 bid
The Paul Skenes Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card is on a legendary run, which will come to an end on Thursday, March 20 at 10pm ET. The card was pulled by an 11-year-old on Christmas and the bidding for it is now up to $780,000. If anyone had any doubt about Skenes' star power and name recognition, that should answer that.
The Pirates organization had already extended an offer of their own to the child for the card, putting together a "trade" package that included season tickets for 30 years, a meeting with Skenes and even a spot in Dunne's suite for a game.
The whole situation makes it clear that Skenes will have a ton of opportunities to make additional income throughout his career. He had already set a record for g bonus for a MLB draft pick in 2023, when he received $9.2 million. Since he's only been in the league for one season, Skenes will only make $875,000 in salary in 2025. The money will start rolling in soon enough, though.