Konnor Griffin is becoming an instant star for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Paul Skenes believes he has potential to be a significant MLB star.
Griffin’s MLB debut proved to be stellar for the Pirates after driving in a run on his first professional at-bat. However, Skenes is offering more insight into why the 19 year old is already thriving at the MLB level.
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Team USA’s World Baseball Classic star is already one of the top pitchers in baseball and knows a thing or two about his own excellence on the diamond.
And Skenes, a 23-year-old who carries himself like a 10-year veteran, can’t get past the way Griffin conducts himself as a teenager.
“Goes to church every Sunday, doesn’t cuss, doesn’t do any of that stuff, married at 19,” Skenes said. “It’s not common, but nothing about him is…
— 1.0 x2FS Pitching Badger (@Pitchingbadger) April 4, 2026
Meanwhile, Skenes is pointing to many aspects of Griffin’s off-field life that are quickly making him excel in MLB games. That includes the fact that Griffin has a strong religious faith and is already married despite only being 19 years old.
Griffin married his high school sweetheart Dendy Hogan three months ago ahead of his first professional season.
“Goes to church every Sunday, doesn’t cuss, doesn’t do any of that stuff, married at 19,” Skenes said after Griffin’s debut. “It’s not common, but nothing about him is common. Everything screams uncommon. And if you want to be uncommon, you want to do uncommon things, it starts with thinking uncommon — and he does that.”
Skenes believes Griffin has elite potential
Griffin is the number one baseball prospect as the 2026 MLB season gets underway. However, it’s clear that Pittsburgh is investing heavily in their young star as he gets plate appearances just weeks into the campaign.
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Last season, the Pirates only managed to win 71 games after finishing last place in the NL Central. However, Skenes’ pitching ability was one of the few bright spots considering his meteoric rise in recent seasons.
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin after scoring in his MLB debut against the Baltimore Orioles. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Pirates drafted Griffin in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft after signing a $6.53 million contract. However, his quick rise included retracting an offer to play college baseball at LSU, where Skenes became a major pitching star.