By Robert Wilson
Konnor Griffin was playing baseball for Jackson Prep two year ago and doesn’t celebrate his 20th birthday until April 24th.
But Friday night, Griffin is expected to be the starting shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the major leagues.
Griffin – the 2024 National Gatorade High School Baseball Player of the Year who selected as the ninth overall pick by the Pirates in the 2024 Major League Baseball draft – was called up from Class AAA Indianapolis Thursday and is expected to make his major league debut in the Pirates’ home opener against the Baltimore Orioles Friday at 3:12 p.m. Central (televised on mlb.tv).
Griffin – rated as the No. 1 prospect in the major leagues by mlb.com – would be the first teenager to start at a position in the major leagues since Juan Soto in 2018.
The 6-foot-3, 222-pound Griffin had an outstanding season in his first full year in the minor leagues last year, with a .333 batting average with 23 doubles, 4 triples, 21 home runs, 117 runs scored, 94 runs batted in and 65 stolen bases in 122 games, playing with Class A Bradenton and Greensboro and Class AA Altoona. He was named the Minor League Player of the Year and also won a Gold Glove for excellent defensive play last season.
Only four other players have made their MLB debut with both less than 130 games played and 580 plate appearances, according to Baseball America, including Soto (122 games played, 512 plate appearances), Alex Rodriguez (114, 475), Bryce Harper (130, 536) and Ken Griffey Jr. (129, 552).
Griffin would become the youngest player to debut as a starting shortstop in the major leagues since Rodriquez in 1994.
Griffin hit four home runs and made numerous outstanding defensive plays at shortstop in 16 games during spring training with the big league Pirates and then was assigned to Class AAA where he hit .438 in five games. Griffin is the first teenager in 20 years to hit three home runs in a single spring training season, according to Sarah Langs of mlb.com.
“I’m fired up. If Bucco fans needed anything else to get fired up about they got it,” Pirates star pitcher and a 2025 Cy Young winner Paul Skenes said on an interview on ESPN Thursday. “It’s great. He’s super mature. He’s 19 right now. You would never know it talking to him. The most mature 19-year-old you are going to ever meet in your life. The play speaks for itself. The way he conducts himself in the locker room and in the field, it’s cool to see. He’s going to bring energy and a skill set to Pittsburgh. It’s exciting.”
Griffin will be joining another Prep alumnus, Jake Mangum, on the Pirates roster. Mangum, the SEC career leader in hits while at Mississippi State, is one of five outfielders on the roster. He has started four out of the six games so far this season.
“We are so excited about the opportunity that Konnor has,” said Prep coach Brent Heavener, who had coached Griffin since the eighth grade. “He has worked so hard for this and done it the right way. There are so many people in Jackson and Mississippi that’s pulling for him. We are proud of all of our players that they get this opportunity. It’s going to be fun to watch Konnor on the big stage tomorrow. Personally to me to watch his journey and to see the type of person he is it’s so impressive. I tell the players all the time we’re already proud of them I just want him to go out there and have fun and enjoy the moment. I can’t wait to see him tomorrow. The fact that he had Jake could be on the same field at the same time is really impressive. There’s a chance you could have three Jackson Prep players starting tomorrow. (Former Prep pitcher) Will (Warren) is starting for the Yankees.”
Griffin has built a reputation of being humble and focused on being the best player he can be.
“I’ve still got to work super hard every single day, so nothing’s going to change whether I’m here or I’m trying to work through my professional career in the big leagues,” Griffin said while he was in spring training in a story in mlb.com. “I’m going to continue to try to be the best player every single day and work toward being a Hall of Fame-type player. That’s definitely the goal.”
“He’s young and we are going to see some growing things for sure, but what Pittsburgh has there and what they currently have without him, it makes perfect sense to let this kid come up and play,” said Jake Peavey of the MLB Now crew Thursday on mlb.tv. “When you look at the minor leagues numbers, what more is there to prove? He’s the total package. He runs the bases, he hits for average, he can slug. He’s something that Pittsburgh badly needs. Pittsburgh has signed a few veterans that will help him. He will add a huge spark to this team.“
Joel Sherman of the MLB Now crew agrees.
Said Sherman: The Pirates kind of need to win this year, they haven’t been to the playoffs since 2015, the clock is running on (star pitcher) Paul Skenes and I think they decided this week, you know what, he might have some struggles but while he does, we will greatly improve our defense at shortstop, we will improve our base running and we believe in the kid that he will work through the problems. They have to go and Friday at their home opener, he will be broken in.”
Just two seasons ago, Griffin led Prep to a seventh straight MAIS Class 6A state championship, a school record 39 victories (only four losses) and a No. 3 national ranking as a senior.
Griffin had one of the best seasons in Mississippi high school history, hitting .559 (third highest in Mississippi, according to MaxPreps) with a school record 76 runs (most in the country, second most in Mississippi history), a school record 83 stolen bases (third most in the country and fifth most in Mississippi history), 39 runs batted in, 13 doubles, 4 triples and 9 home runs this season. His batting average ranked third in school history behind Gene Wood (.606 in 2014) and Luke Maddox (.579 in 2009).
An accurate eye at the plate, Griffin had only 10 strikeouts in 117 plate appearances and walked 47 times and had an .690 on base percentage (third highest in Mississippi). He was caught stealing only one time, when he tried to steal home against Presbyterian Christian School during the regular season. Blessed with the ability to hit with power to all fields, Griffin had a .966 slugging percentage (second highest in Mississippi).
Griffin, whose fastball was clocked as high as 97 miles per hour, also had a 10-0 record (tied for third in Mississippi in wins) and a 0.72 earned run average (sixth lowest in Mississippi) and 107 strikeouts (sixth best in Mississippi) and only 26 walks in 67 2/3 innings.
A slick-fielding shortstop with great range and lightning quick instincts, Griffin made only five errors and had a .956 fielding percentage and turned 12 double plays.
