The Pittsburgh Pirates have MLB’s No. 1 prospect in Konnor Griffin, and he could be in the Major Leagues as soon as next year.
In fact, he could be playing for the Pirates as soon as Opening Day, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
According to Passan, “The Pirates are strongly considering giving 19-year-old Konnor Griffin, the consensus minor league player of the year in 2025, the opportunity to win their big league shortstop job, sources told ESPN.”
Passan adds that “the idea is by no means decided” and “the decision is complicated” for Pittsburgh. Griffin is only 19 years old and has just 122 games of Minor League experience under his belt (none above Double-A), so he may not be ready for the Major Leagues yet.
There hasn’t been a teenage position player since Juan Soto came up with the Washington Nationals in 2018. Furthermore, the Pirates may not want to bring him up and start his service clock just yet if they don’t feel they’re ready to contend in 2026.
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That said, Griffin’s superstar potential is tantalizing based on his jaw-dropping Minor League production. The ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft dominated his first professional season, batting .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases across three levels.
If he shines during spring training, he may earn a spot on the Opening Day roster, giving Pittsburgh fans plenty to be excited about heading into next year.
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