This is one in a series of stories breaking down PBN’s Top 30 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects.
You won’t find many prospects with a better first professional season than the one Konnor Griffin had in 2025.
After the Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth pick in the 2024 draft, Griffin began his pro career with the Low-A Bradenton Marauders. It was a fast start for the 19-year-old, who played 50 games and hit .338 with a .932 OPS, 10 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 36 RBI and 26 stolen bases.
Following the strong first impression, Griffin was promoted to High-A Greensboro where he continued to shine. In 51 games with the Grasshoppers in the South Atlantic League, Griffin slashed .325/.432/.510 with 11 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 36 RBI and 33 steals.
But Griffin’s season didn’t end in Greensboro. The Pirates promoted their top prospect once more to Double-A Altoona in the middle of August. He totaled 21 games with Altoona and batted .337/.418/.542 with five homers, 22 RBI and six steals.
Griffin’s 65 stolen bases were the most by a Pirates minor-leaguer since Pedro Powell had 67 in 2007. He finished second among full-time minor-leaguers with 117 runs scored and was fourth in batting (.333), fifth in hits (161) and total bases (255), seventh in OPS (.941), tied for seventh in RBI (94) and eighth in stolen bases.
Griffin’s efforts at the plates and on the bases led the Pirates to naming him their Honus Wagner minor league Player of the Year, but it wasn’t just his offense and speed that opened eyes.
At the time he was drafted, it was to be determined if Griffin would play shortstop or center field since he possesses the athleticism to play both premium positions.
Despite dabbling some in center field, Griffin played mostly shortstop, where he showed enough to not only win a minor-league Gold Glove award, but confidently be tabbed the Pirates’ shortstop of the future. In 89 games at short across three levels, the sure-handed Griffin committed just seven errors in 757 innings and posted a .980 fielding percentage.
What Griffin showed in his impressive first season in the Pirates organization led to him being considered the consensus top prospect in all of baseball.
He’s already drawn comparisons to Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., though Griffin has a bigger frame. For me? He’s a young Alex Rodriguez. When I previously made that comparison, I would preface it by saying, “I’m not saying he’s gonna turn into him but…”
Well, after what he showed in his first season, he just might. Griffin’s ceiling is that high. He has a true five-tool skillset and could singlehandedly solve a lot of the Pirates’ problems once he arrives.
The shortstop of the future might not have to wait too long until that future becomes the present. Given how quickly he’s skyrocketed up the system and how effortless he’s made things look at each level, that debut looks primed to happen at some point next season.
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