Ex-Mets star explains what makes Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal stand apart from most young pitchers

When ranking the top starting pitchers in the big leagues, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and Detroit Tigers star Tarik Skubal are definitely two players that would be on nearly everyone's list.

What makes their exceptional skill so impressive is that both players are still relatively young, at 23 and 28 years old, respectively. This means that as long as they stay healthy, the duo is expected to keep dominating in the major leagues for many years to come.

On Thursday's episode of "Nothing Personal with David Samson," former New York Mets pitcher Mike Hampton stated that the control that players like Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal have over the ball, in addition to their velocity, is what sets them apart from other young pitchers.

"[Paul Skenes] is gripping, ripping at 98 [miles per hour], with commandability like he has. That's where he seperates himself. I still feel he can throw harder, but he's under control because he's able to actually locate."

"He's like [Tarik] Skubal, like the same. These guys have a plan, and you can see that. You see some young kids that don't have a plan, and they learn the long way," Hampton said [22:00]

Just like Skenes and Skubal, Mike Hampton is also a player who enjoyed plenty of success as a pitcher in his heyday. Spending 14 seasons in the majors, Hampton represented a total of six teams, earning two All-Star selections, an NLCS MVP award, a Gold Glove, five Silver Slugger awards, and an NL wins leader award.

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Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal are the favorites to win the Cy Young award for their respective leagues

Having won the prestigious NL Rookie of the Year award just a year ago, Paul Skenes has clearly taken his game to another level this season. Currently, Skenes has an 8-9 record, a 2.07 ERA, and 181 strikeouts, and is the heavy favorite for the NL Cy Young award with odds of -10,000 FOX.

MLB: AUG 18 Blue Jays at Pirates - Source: Getty

Tarik Skubal, on the other hand, won his first career Cy Young Award in 2024. As it stands now, a second award could be on the horizon just a year later. Skubal is also the favorite among oddsmakers to win again, with odds of -125. The next closest competitor, Garrett Crochet, is listed at +100.