Paul Skenes was selected with the No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft on July 9, 2023.
Just 364 days later, the Pirates pitcher was selected for his first MLB All-Star Game. That made Skenes the first No. 1 overall pick to become an All-Star during his rookie season.
That called for a celebration, and Skenes' girlfriend, LSU gymnast and social media influencer Livvy Dunne, was up for the task.
MORE: How Paul Skenes, Livvy Dunne met and started relationship
Dunne put together a mini party for Skenes, complete with Primanti Bros. pizza, champagne and balloons that spelled out "All Star."
She posted an image of her work to her Instagram story:
Olivia Dunne celebrated Paul Skenes' All-Star selection 🥳 pic.twitter.com/rFzjEo20Np
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 7, 2024
That's a nice gesture from Dunne, whose relationship with Skenes dates back to the pitcher's own days as a student-athlete at LSU.
Dunne clearly anticipated Skenes' All-Star nod was coming, and it's easy to understand why. The Pirates rookie has been as consistent as they come since being called up to the big leagues, establishing himself as a star in the making and a true ace for the Pirates.
MORE: Scouting report on hard-throwing Paul Skenes and his 'splinker'
Paul Skenes stats
Skenes has made 10 starts for the Pirates since being called up in May. He has posted a 5-0 record during that time with a 2.12 ERA and 78 strikeouts.
Skenes doesn't yet have enough innings to qualify for MLB's rate stats leaderboards, but his 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings would be tied for second-best in the league with the Dodgers' Tyler Glasnow, behind only White Sox ace Garrett Crochet (12.5).
Skenes' ERA would rank only behind fellow All-Star Reynaldo Lopez's mark of 1.71. The Pirates rookie has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his 10 outings, an impressive feat for a rookie.
Skenes has also routinely showcased a 100 mph fastball during his starts. As a result, his 99.2 fastball mph ranks as the fastest in MLB, according to Baseball Savant.
Eventually, Skenes may hit a rookie wall, or MLB teams could figure out how to deal with his high-end fastball. But until they do, Skenes will continue to be an effective starter and remain one of MLB's best pitchers.
And he certainly deserved to be an All-Star even after a brief, two-month stint in the majors.