University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Baseball Adds Transfer Skoro to Incoming Class
8/13/2020 10:00:00 AM | Baseball
MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota baseball program announced the addition of transfer left-handed pitcher Tom Skoro for the upcoming 2021 season on Thursday.
Skoro, a Medicine Lake, Minn. native, spent the 2020 season competing for the University of Missouri of the Southeastern Conference. As the sixth member of the Gophers' incoming 2020-21 class, Skoro joins Brett Bateman, Noah DeLuga, Cody Kelly, George Klassen and Boston Merila in what has turned out to be an impressive crop of newcomers.
"In conjunction with our coaching and support staff, I am happy to welcome Tom to our Gopher Baseball family as we help prepare him for the next 50 years of his journey," said head coach John Anderson. "Our goal is to help him finish his academic career in his hometown while helping him achieve his athletic goals and develop him into an independent, critical thinker who can leave this University and achieve great things after baseball. Tom has a tremendous amount of ability and will help our pitching staff absorb the losses felt by the Major League draft. He brings with him not only experience, but leadership to our pitching staff for the 2021 season. We are happy to welcome Tom and the entire Skoro family to the University of Minnesota for the upcoming year."
Tom Skoro
As a redshirt junior at Mizzou, Skoro made two appearances for the Tigers and did not allow a run while striking out five batters over 2 2/3 innings pitched. Skoro held opposing hitters to a .182 batting average against and surrendered just one hit to left-handed batters (1-for-7) on the season.
Prior to his success in the SEC, Skoro committed to Kansas State out of high school before transferring to North Iowa Area Community College. During his time at NIACC, he played for head coach Travis Hergert and helped lead the Trojans to 70 wins in two seasons including back-to-back births in the NJCAA Region XI Tournament. In 2018, Skoro was named Honorable Mention All-NJCAA Region XI.
Making 25 appearances including 16 starts from 2018-2019, the southpaw posted a 10-6 record, tossed four complete games and registered 127 strikeouts over the course of 86 innings pitched for the Trojans, equating to 13.3 strikeouts-per-nine innings. In 2018, Skoro was one of the premier performers in the NJCAA, going 8-2 with a 3.21 ERA in 55 innings pitched with 86 strikeouts.Â
This past summer, Skoro stayed sharp while pitching for the Falcons of the CarShield Collegiate League in O'Fallon, Mo. Originally dubbed "The Prospect League," the CSCL is a top summer collegiate league typically based in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and West Virginia, although the league was forced to reform after the coronavirus pandemic canceled the season. To date, Skoro has made four appearances including three starts for the Falcons, posting a 3.19 ERA in 14 1/3 innings pitched with 26 strikeouts. Two summers ago, Skoro helped anchor the Minnetonka Millers pitching staff, leading them to the Class-A Minnesota State Tournament. Skoro posted a 3-0 mark on the mound with a 0.94 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched, earning him All-Tournament team honors.Â
As a 2016 graduate of Wayzata High School, Skoro was a three-year letterwinner in baseball while being a multi-sport athlete as a member of the football and hockey teams. Playing under former Golden Gopher pitcher Bobby DeWitt (1996, '99-00), Skoro was a two-time All-Lake Conference selection and finished his prep career with a 15-3 record and 125 strikeouts in 102 innings pitched. As a senior, Skoro was the among the state's best arms, owning a 10-1 record with a 1.41 ERA and 95 strikeouts over 69 innings pitched to lead Wayzata to the Class 4A State Championship. In the process, Skoro earned First Team All-Metro honors as well as All-Section and All-State accolades.
Additionally, Skoro pitched the Wayzata American Legion team to a 2015 American Legion State Championship and in the summer of 2016 was honored with the Rob Wassenaar Award as the State Tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher. In the 2016 class, Prep Baseball Report ranked Skoro No. 14 overall in Minnesota and the No. 2 left-handed pitcher in the state. Perfect Game tabbed the southpaw as the No. 171 left-handed pitching prospect in the nation while also awarding him with Honorable-Mention Central Region All-American honors.
Tom Skoro on why he chose Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because I truly believe it is the best fit for me. I am blown away by the impressive program and reputation the coaching staff has built. Additionally, Minnesota is not only my home, but a place with a rich history of baseball, not to mention the great education that UMN provides. I am so excited to end my college baseball career as a Gopher!"
Coach Ty McDevitt on Tom Skoro: "Tom will be a tremendous addition to our pitching staff. Having logged innings in both a starting and relief role, he is versatile and has proven he can get outs at the college level. A left-hander, Tom features a riding fastball in the upper 80s complimented by quality secondary stuff, highlighted by an impressive slider which he can command to both sides of the plate. We expect Tom to provide veteran stability and leadership to our staff and look forward to him continuing his career as a Gopher!"
Â
Skoro, a Medicine Lake, Minn. native, spent the 2020 season competing for the University of Missouri of the Southeastern Conference. As the sixth member of the Gophers' incoming 2020-21 class, Skoro joins Brett Bateman, Noah DeLuga, Cody Kelly, George Klassen and Boston Merila in what has turned out to be an impressive crop of newcomers.
"In conjunction with our coaching and support staff, I am happy to welcome Tom to our Gopher Baseball family as we help prepare him for the next 50 years of his journey," said head coach John Anderson. "Our goal is to help him finish his academic career in his hometown while helping him achieve his athletic goals and develop him into an independent, critical thinker who can leave this University and achieve great things after baseball. Tom has a tremendous amount of ability and will help our pitching staff absorb the losses felt by the Major League draft. He brings with him not only experience, but leadership to our pitching staff for the 2021 season. We are happy to welcome Tom and the entire Skoro family to the University of Minnesota for the upcoming year."
Tom Skoro
| Position:Â LHP | Height: 6-3Â | Weight:Â 230Â | Bat/Throws:Â L/L Hometown:Â Medicine Lake, MN |Â High School:Â Wayzata |Â Previous School:Â Mizzou Scouting Report: Veteran hurler who has experience and a proven track record of success at the amateur and collegiate level. A strike thrower who possess a low 90's fastball and a wipe-out slider. Will immediately add stability and leadership to the Gopher pitching staff in 2021. |
As a redshirt junior at Mizzou, Skoro made two appearances for the Tigers and did not allow a run while striking out five batters over 2 2/3 innings pitched. Skoro held opposing hitters to a .182 batting average against and surrendered just one hit to left-handed batters (1-for-7) on the season.
Prior to his success in the SEC, Skoro committed to Kansas State out of high school before transferring to North Iowa Area Community College. During his time at NIACC, he played for head coach Travis Hergert and helped lead the Trojans to 70 wins in two seasons including back-to-back births in the NJCAA Region XI Tournament. In 2018, Skoro was named Honorable Mention All-NJCAA Region XI.
Making 25 appearances including 16 starts from 2018-2019, the southpaw posted a 10-6 record, tossed four complete games and registered 127 strikeouts over the course of 86 innings pitched for the Trojans, equating to 13.3 strikeouts-per-nine innings. In 2018, Skoro was one of the premier performers in the NJCAA, going 8-2 with a 3.21 ERA in 55 innings pitched with 86 strikeouts.Â
This past summer, Skoro stayed sharp while pitching for the Falcons of the CarShield Collegiate League in O'Fallon, Mo. Originally dubbed "The Prospect League," the CSCL is a top summer collegiate league typically based in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and West Virginia, although the league was forced to reform after the coronavirus pandemic canceled the season. To date, Skoro has made four appearances including three starts for the Falcons, posting a 3.19 ERA in 14 1/3 innings pitched with 26 strikeouts. Two summers ago, Skoro helped anchor the Minnetonka Millers pitching staff, leading them to the Class-A Minnesota State Tournament. Skoro posted a 3-0 mark on the mound with a 0.94 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched, earning him All-Tournament team honors.Â
As a 2016 graduate of Wayzata High School, Skoro was a three-year letterwinner in baseball while being a multi-sport athlete as a member of the football and hockey teams. Playing under former Golden Gopher pitcher Bobby DeWitt (1996, '99-00), Skoro was a two-time All-Lake Conference selection and finished his prep career with a 15-3 record and 125 strikeouts in 102 innings pitched. As a senior, Skoro was the among the state's best arms, owning a 10-1 record with a 1.41 ERA and 95 strikeouts over 69 innings pitched to lead Wayzata to the Class 4A State Championship. In the process, Skoro earned First Team All-Metro honors as well as All-Section and All-State accolades.
Additionally, Skoro pitched the Wayzata American Legion team to a 2015 American Legion State Championship and in the summer of 2016 was honored with the Rob Wassenaar Award as the State Tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher. In the 2016 class, Prep Baseball Report ranked Skoro No. 14 overall in Minnesota and the No. 2 left-handed pitcher in the state. Perfect Game tabbed the southpaw as the No. 171 left-handed pitching prospect in the nation while also awarding him with Honorable-Mention Central Region All-American honors.
Tom Skoro on why he chose Minnesota: "I chose Minnesota because I truly believe it is the best fit for me. I am blown away by the impressive program and reputation the coaching staff has built. Additionally, Minnesota is not only my home, but a place with a rich history of baseball, not to mention the great education that UMN provides. I am so excited to end my college baseball career as a Gopher!"
Coach Ty McDevitt on Tom Skoro: "Tom will be a tremendous addition to our pitching staff. Having logged innings in both a starting and relief role, he is versatile and has proven he can get outs at the college level. A left-hander, Tom features a riding fastball in the upper 80s complimented by quality secondary stuff, highlighted by an impressive slider which he can command to both sides of the plate. We expect Tom to provide veteran stability and leadership to our staff and look forward to him continuing his career as a Gopher!"
Â
Follow Minnesota Baseball
Baseball Tickets
Experience the excitement and tradition connecting generations of Gopher fans! Create memories for a lifetime with your friends and family while you root for your Golden Gophers. Get Tickets
Support Minnesota Baseball
Support the University of Minnesota Baseball program. Your support helps our student-athletes succeed athletically, academically, and socially. It takes just seconds to make a monthly or one-time donation. Thank you for your support! Give Now
First Practice of Fall
Thursday, September 18
Weber Neels Highlights
Wednesday, May 28
Gophers (11) - Michigan State (5) Highlights
Friday, May 16
Gophers (4) - Michigan State (3) Highlights
Thursday, May 15