One of the biggest questions for the Pittsburgh Pirates is whether 2023 No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes will pitch in the major leagues this season

The Pirates won’t have to wait until the summer to see him in black and gold.

Skenes is one of five top-100 prospects among the 13 players who received non-roster invitations to the Pirates’ major league spring training camp in Bradenton, Fla. It will be the first major league camp for Skenes, the 6-foot-6 ½, 250-pound right-hander who led LSU to the College World Series title last year and is ranked the No. 3 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Skenes will be joined by fellow top-100 prospects in right-handed pitchers Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones, lefty Anthony Solometo and infielder Termarr Johnson, the Pirates’ 2022 first-round pick. MLB Pipeline ranks Chandler No. 59, Jones No. 74, Johnson No. 77 and Solometo No. 82.

The non-roster invitations list also includes infielders Andres Alvarez and Jack Brannigan, infielder/outfielder Joe Perez, outfielder Matt Gorski, catchers Carter Bins and Abrahan Gutierrez and right-handed pitchers Thomas Harrington and Sean Sullivan.

The Pirates previously extended non-roster invitations to eight veterans: infielder Sergio Alcantara, outfielder Gilberto Celestino, right-handed relievers Ben Heller and Hunter Stratton, corner infielder/outfielder Jake Lamb, outfielder/first baseman Billy McKinney and left-handed pitcher Michael Plassmeyer.

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