MLB’s Hottest Rookie Was Almost Teammates With Paul Skenes at LSU

Baseball fans are super excited to see fireball pitchers Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers, and Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, take the mound against one another. But there was almost a time when they would have been on the same team. Not in the majors, but in college. Specifically at LSU.

Jacob Misiorowski Was Almost An LSU Tiger

Before the first professional matchup between Paul Skenes and Jacob Misiorowski, the pair have openly discussed how they were almost teammates on LSU's 2023 National Championship team. Misiorowski was set to become an LSU Tiger, before the Brewers took him with the 63rd overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. They gave him a $2.3 million signing bonus, over double what the MLB value was for the 63rd overall pick. Getting a signing bonus that big kept Misiorowski from heading to Baton Rouge.

Misiorowski And Paul Skenes Were Almost Teammates At LSU

If the Brewers, or any other MLB team, didn't offer him that massive signing bonus, Misiorowski had already committed to play for the LSU Tigers. That would have put him on the squad alongside Skenes, and LSU legend Dylan Crews. Which could have ended up seeing LSU with another first round draft pick.

Misiorowski played his high school baseball in Grain Valley, Missouri before committing to Oklahoma State. Misiorowski wouldn't ever play for OK State, as he decided to enroll at Crowder College. This was likely due to Misiorowski's senior season of high school being canceled by the pandemic, and the state of the world in the echoes of the pandemic shutdowns.

He would pitch in 15 games for Crowder College, racking up 10 wins and 136 strikeouts. Those numbers helped catch the attention of the LSU staff, who offered Misiorowski a spot on their squad.

But as we know, Misiorowski would never actually suit up for LSU. He took his signing bonus, joined the Brewers organization, and worked his way up the the majors this season.

Jacob Misiorowski's Historic Rookie Season in Milwaukee

In Misiorowski's first start, he threw 5-innings of no-hit baseball for Milwaukee. He followed up that start with 6-innings of perfect baseball, before giving up a walk. This set an MLB record with 11 straight innings of no-hit baseball by a starting pitcher for the beginning of a career.

Skenes started his career last season, being named the starter for the National League in the All Star Game, and winning Rookie of the Year. His first MLB season saw Skenes check in with an 11-3 record, with a 1.96 ERA, and 170 strikeouts in 133 innings. His 2025 season has been great as well, with Skenes having a 1.85 ERA after 16 starts, but his record isn't as good as last year's winning percentage. The Pirates have been struggling at the plate, which has led to Skenes' 4-6 record, while having a sub-2 ERA, and over 100 strikeouts in 102 innings.

Could Jacob Misiorowski Have Been A National Champion At LSU?

Looking back on that 2023 LSU Tigers team is pretty fun already, as that team will be remembered as one of the best college baseball teams of all-time. But imagining what it would have been like with Misiorowski in the pitching rotation is pretty wild. Since Misiorowski would have joined LSU with 3 years of eligibility, that means Misiorowski would have possibly been on this year's national championship team too.

Who knows, if Misiorowski had taken the offer to go to Baton Rouge, he could have ended up helping to bring in the 2024 title too. The fantasy forecasting in hindsight is fun for baseball fans all over Louisiana.