Towering at approximately 6 and a half feet tall, 250 pounds and with a pitch of 95 miles per hour, former Wareham Gatemen player Paul Skenes was a hard one to miss, said Gatemen President Glen Hannington.

And the Major League Baseball teams thought the same.

On Sunday, July 9, the Pittsburgh Pirates chose Skenes from Louisiana State University as the Major League’s No. 1 overall pick.

However, before Skenes rose to stardom in the pros, he was right here in Wareham playing in the Cape Cod Baseball League on a collegiate summer team.

Skenes joined the team in 2021. He had a brief absence when he left to play for Team USA, but soon returned. Skenes originally attended the Air Force Academy, but later transferred to Louisiana State.

Hannington said he was “very proud” to see a Gatemen chosen as the Major League’s top pick.

Skenes is the fifth Cape Cod League player to be chosen as the top pick in the last six years, according to the league.

Hannington said Skenes is the second in Gatemen history to be the No. 1 overall pick.

He added, “He was a good player at that time and obviously he matured over the last few years to put himself in a position to become the top pick.”

Hannington said just by the look of Skenes’ stature, he knew he was a gifted athlete.

“Every time he took the mound he was in command of his pitches,” he said.

For other players interested in following in Skenes’ footsteps, Hannington says, “Like anything else in life, work hard, learn from your mistakes and perseverance will come your way.”