Despite his exceptional talent, Skenes pitches for the Pittsburgh Pirates, a small-market team with a long history of losing and poor development, risking his prime years in a struggling franchise.

The Pirates have not won a playoff series since 1979 and have accumulated the most losses in MLB over the decades, highlighting systemic issues within the franchise and ownership.

While Skenes has been managed carefully by the Pirates, pitching into at least the fifth inning in most starts and staying healthy, the team's overall poor performance limits his visibility and impact.

Looking ahead, Skenes could be traded before reaching free agency in 2029, with teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox, and Cubs seen as likely candidates to acquire him.

The article advocates for MLB to reform the draft system, moving towards a free-market approach for signing prospects, to prevent talented players from being trapped in small-market teams and to improve talent distribution.

Paul Skenes, a 23-year-old pitcher, is on the verge of winning the NL Cy Young Award and has had a historic start to his career, including winning NL Rookie of the Year and multiple All-Star selections, with a stellar 2.00 ERA and 210 ERA+.

Despite his high value and talent, Skenes has not yet achieved widespread fan popularity or top jersey sales, reflecting the broader decline of star pitchers' prominence and the challenge of engaging fans in modern baseball.

The Pirates could consider offering Skenes a long-term, lucrative contract, which would be unprecedented for the franchise and difficult to negotiate, but such a deal could foster goodwill.

Skenes' situation draws parallels to Mike Trout's early career and decline, raising concerns about star power and the risk of talented players being overshadowed or underappreciated in small markets.