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MLB’s Gen Z Star Paul Skenes on The Viral List

Moments that feel like Hozier yelling, PrettyLittleThing’s modest rebrand, and MLB’s newest star Paul Skenes are going viral…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Mar 14 2025
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Paul Skenes is quickly becoming MLB’s newest golden boy, and not just because of his fastball
PrettyLittleThing rebranded to a more conservative aesthetic, leaving its former colorful, body positive styles behind—and fans aren’t happy
Gen Z is using Noah Kahan and Hozier’s “Northern Attitude” to soundtrack their happiest memories, calling them “moments that feel like Hozier’s yell”

Paul Skenes, 22-years-old, is the new Gen Z star of MLB The 6’6” right-hand pitcher was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB draft, scoring a record $9.2M bonus with the Pittsburgh Pirates. And after a remarkable first round of games in the majors last year, Skenes has all the appeal of a “crossover star”: he pitches in a way that “sends baseball purists scrambling for superlatives” and has also become a pop culture name. Despite the fact he’s reportedly uninterested in being famous, his mustache and jersey number have quickly become merch kids are sporting in the stands....