From the Air Force Academy to the MLB All-Star Game: Paul Skenes takes the mound

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie sensation Paul Skenes, 22, is set to be the first rookie this century to start the MLB All-Star Game, but playing baseball wasn't what he described as his "primary dream."

Skenes, the 22-year-old former first overall pick, wanted to be an F-16 pilot in the Air Force, which drove his decision to attend the Air Force Academy, where he spent his freshman and sophomore years.

"Playing professional baseball was a dream of mine, but it wasn't the primary dream. Really, all I wanted to do was play college baseball and go somewhere and know that I had a good career lined up ahead of me, and Air Force was pretty much the perfect place for that," Skenes told Military.com .

He was forced after the conclusion of his sophomore year to choose between his dreams because if he left before his junior year, he wouldn’t have to fulfill his service obligation.

“He didn't want to leave,” his coach, Mike Kazlausky, told NOLA.com . “The Department of Defense at the time could not come up with a great solution for Paul to be able to be a professional athlete right after his junior year.”

Skenes ultimately decided to transfer to Louisiana State University, and he then won the NCAA championship, became the first pick in the 2023 draft, and will become the first rookie pitcher since Hideo Nomo in 1995 to start an All-Star Game on Tuesday.

The superstar pitcher spoke highly of basic training, though he admits once was enough for him.

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"You get [one] phone call during basic; you're away from your family as an 18-year-old. You're forced to figure out life really [quickly] and figure out how to make new friendships, and self-leadership, all that, discipline. Those 37 days, I never want to do that again, but it's 100% shaped who I am today," Skenes said.

Two of his uncles served in the Navy, and one served in the Coast Guard.

Skenes has been a revelation since being promoted to the big leagues by the Pirates earlier this year. He presently holds an ERA of 1.90 over 66.1 innings pitched, with 89 strikeouts. He has become the first pitcher since 1901 with seven or more strikeouts in at least 10 of his first 11 career appearances, according to ESPN . He will be the youngest pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Dwight Gooden, who was 21 in 1986.