A new potential star has emerged for the Pittsburgh Pirates: 19-year-old Konnor Griffin.
Griffin had been considered the top prospect in baseball before his call up to the majors. He was drafted ninth overall by the Pirates in 2024. He spent his 2024 and 2025 seasons in Single-A and quickly worked his way up to Triple-A.
Griffin made his first start in the MLB on April 3 and started strong, gaining an RBI double on his first at-bat in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles.
Since then, Griffin has had a tougher time at the plate. After 18 at-bats, Griffin has only three hits and his batting average is .167.
Griffin likely will adjust to the top players pitching in the MLB, as he hit an average of .438 in Triple-A earlier this year, going 7-16.
Though his batting has dropped off, Griffin’s play on defense is outstanding. Over the last six games, Griffin has consistently made hard plays. Many times, Griffin has saved the pitchers on the mound with diving plays to save RBIs and eliminate errors in the infield.
Griffin’s ability to make plays is incredible and something the Pirates have not had in a long time, and his arm is insanely strong.
If the Pirates are able to continue to develop Griffin, then he should be a dangerous player moving forward in the league.
Griffin will likely join a Pirates future that will include him, Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler, and Jared Jones, who is recovering from an elbow injury. They also have Seth Hernandez, who is a 19-year-old pitcher in Single-A and a top prospect.
Recently, Griffin signed a nine-year, $140 million contract with the Pirates, and despite his batting issues, he is a great signing by the Pirates so far.
