This isn’t Paul’s first time:

Paul Skenes becomes the latest LSU baseball player to pledge NIL money to charity!

LSU pitcher Paul Skenes delivers a pitch in the first inning of an inter squad scrimmage on Friday, January 27, 2023 at Alex Box stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON?
BY LEAH VANN | Staff writer
Feb 9, 2023
LSU right-hander Paul Skenes has decided to use his image for a cause close to his heart.

Skenes, a transfer from the Air Force Academy, announced on Wednesday night that he will pledge $10 for every strikeout to Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of military and first responders who have died or been disabled.

The pitcher has a personal connection to the nonprofit. Two former Air Force baseball players, Travis Wilkie and Nick Duran, died in separate accidents over the past few years. Wilkie was one of the first players Skenes met on his college visit, and he now wears Wilkie's number, 20, in his honor. Duran was a catcher for Air Force with Skenes and would've graduated this year. Skenes learned of his death while playing summer baseball in June of 2021.

But when it came to choosing the right charity, Skenes actually asked his former baseball coach at the Air Force Academy, Mike Kazlausky, which one to choose.

"I wanted to give back because the military has been such a big piece for me," Skenes said. "Coach Kaz was like immediately, 'Do folds of honor.'"

Wilkie's wife, Peyton, is still in the Air Force, and is involved with Folds of Honor. In addition, Skenes said had a connection through a classmate, whose mom, with Diane Nemecek, runs the south Texas branch of Folds of Honor.

Now, Skenes has opened a donation page for the organization. On Wednesday night, the donations were at $234.80 and by 10:30 a.m. this morning, Skenes had raised $2,156.80.

Skenes is not the only player who has used his NIL opportunity to give back. UCLA transfer right-hander Thatcher Hurd donated all of his NIL earnings to provide 30,000 pounds of food to the LSU Food Pantry.

Back in September, NC State transfer third baseman Tommy White pledged to donate a portion of his earnings to Empower 225, a local organization in Baton Rouge aimed to empower youth to escape the cycle of violence and poverty by providing them with resources such as educational support, life skills training, career preparedness, housing and mentorship.