No. 1 selection Paul Skenes one of nine California products on first day of 2023 MLB Draft

Paul Skenes has come a long way from being a “Bad News Bear.”

The former El Toro (Lake Forest) High School standout was the first pick of the 2023 Major League Draft on Sunday, one of nine with California ties on the first day of selections.

Skenes, who led LSU to a national championship last month, told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser that he dressed up as coach Morris Buttermaker from the 1976 Hollywood baseball classic “The Bad News Bears” for El Toro’s annual Halloween Game.

Players dressed up with every costume imaginable — Teletubbies, Super Mario Brothers, Barney — but Skenes' costume was perhaps most creative and thematic.

His route to the No. 1 selection is something straight out of the movies. Though always blessed with a golden arm, he wasn’t really a pitcher in high school. He was known more as a catcher and third baseman.

As a junior in 2019, he was the team’s closer until the Chargers got to the playoffs, then he threw a seven-inning shutout. He flew largely under the radar, especially his senior year that was halted by the pandemic.

He attended two years at the Air Force, before transferring to LSU where his baseball career really blossomed, going 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA last season with a remarkable 209 strikeouts in 122 ⅔ innings.

More California connections to the first day and 70 picks:

No. 6 — SS Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon University) by Oakland A's

A 2020 graduate of Thousand Oaks High School, Wilson didn’t hit .300 his sophomore or junior seasons but broke out to .583 as a senior, but only in eight games due to the pandemic. He was 14 of 24 with nine RBI and five doubles.

No. 12 — 3B Tommy Troy (Stanford) by Arizona Diamondbacks

A 2020 graduate of Los Gatos High School, Troy blasted 11 home runs in 274 career at-bats which lasted over four seasons, but once again, his senior year was restricted to just five games. He hit .321 for his career with 88 hits, 58 RBI, 24 doubles and six triples.

No. 15 — SS Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss) by Chicago White Sox

Also a football star at Glendora High School, Gonzalez had a fantastic four-year baseball prep career, hitting .399 with 119 hits in 298 at-bats with 74 hits, 22 doubles, 10 triples and four home runs. He also pitched a little as a sophomore and junior. As a quarterback at Glendora, Gonzalez finished with 4,487 total yards and 62 total touchdowns in two seasons as a starter.

No. 21 — OF Chase Davis (Arizona) by St. Louis Cardinals

The city of Elk Grove has produced numerous professional baseball players and the 2020 Franklin High School graduate is the latest first-round selection. In three varsity seasons starting as a freshman, Davis hit .294 with 51 RBI, 15 doubles, six triples and five home runs. He had 59 career hits.

No. 23 — C-1B Ralphy Velazquez (Huntington Beach) by Cleveland Guardians

The first California high school player from the Class of 2023, Velazquez hit. .593 as a sophomore with 16 hits and 15 RBI in just 27 at-bats. The season was cut short in 2021 by the pandemic. As a junior he hit .316 with nine home runs and as a senior he hit .402 with six homers. See video at top of Velazquez. 

No. 49 — 2B Luke Keaschall (Arizona State) by Minnesota Twins

A multi-sport standout from Aptos who starred in baseball and wrestling, a unique combination. A two-time All-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League performer, Keaschall hit .395 in 2019 and drove in 30 runs and scored 35. He was a team captain for both sports.

No. 61 — P Alonzo Tredwell (UCLA) by Houston Astros

A graduate of Mater Dei (Santa Ana), Tredwell played four seasons for the Monarchs, though he missed most of his junior campaign with an injury. At UCA over two seasons, he went 8-3 with a 2.83 ERA. He stands 6-8 and weighs 230 pounds.

No. 65 — C Cole Carrigg (San Diego State) by Colorado Rockies

A four-year letterman at Turlock High School, Carrigg led his team to a conference title and had 39 hits, 18 stolen bases and batted .438. Earned All-league honors as a freshman.