An 11-year-old collector from Los Angeles recently acquired a rare baseball card featuring Paul Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year. The card, announced by Topps on Tuesday, includes Skenes’ autograph and a piece of a game-worn jersey.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have offered an enticing trade package for the card, including 30 years of season tickets behind home plate at PNC Park, a softball game for 30 people at the stadium, two autographed Paul Skenes jerseys, and a meet-and-greet with the pitcher himself. Additionally, Skenes’ girlfriend, LSU gymnast and influencer Livvy Dunne, has offered the cardholder a chance to attend one of Skenes’ starts from a luxury suite at the ballpark.
The card could be worth a significant amount, given Skenes’ promising future. The 22-year-old finished third in the 2024 NL Cy Young Award voting after a remarkable rookie season. As the first overall pick in the 2023 draft, Skenes made his MLB debut in May and quickly became one of the league’s top pitchers. After just 11 starts, he was named the NL’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game, finishing the season 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 games.
Skenes recently shared that he hasn’t thought about signing a long-term deal with the Pirates, instead focusing on helping the team compete for a playoff spot in 2025.
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