July 18th, 2023 by WCBC Radio

The Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball's recent amateur draft, have reached an agreement on a record-setting contract, according to MLB.com's Jim Callis. Skenes will receive a $9.2 million signing bonus, per Callis. That's about half a million under the recommended slot value for the No. 1 selection, but it's still a large enough sum to shatter the previous record of $8.4 million set by Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson back in 2020.