One of the most compelling storylines entering the new season concerns Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes. He's fresh off an outstanding freshman campaign that saw him start the All-Star Game despite having only debuted in mid-May.

Skenes made clear he was greatly appreciative of that type of message from his soon-to-be teammate. MLB Pipeline heralds Chandler as the No. 15 prospect in all of baseball, and the 22-year-old clearly isn't lacking any confidence as he continues to work his way up to the highest level.

Paul Skenes is going to start for the Pittsburgh Pirates on opening day. Pretty easy call for manager Derek Shelton. Skenes is coming off a dominant performance in his first season in the majors. The 22-year-old right-hander went 11-3 with a 1.