The first MLB prospect rankings for 2026 are out, and they all agree: Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin is No. 1.

Before anyone can say “So what?” or “Big whup,” Griffin is no run-of-the-mill No. 1 prospect. Bobby Witt Jr. and Byron Buxton are actually the less notable comps for him in a recent report from Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. One’s ears more so perk up at the other two names: Alex Rodriguez and Mike Trout.

However, there’s something about the hype for Griffin that just feels…off. He’s not exactly off the radar, but he’s not as on it as he surely would be if he was a prospect for the, say, New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers.

So in the interests of public service, let’s get to know Griffin. Specifically, where he comes from, what he can do, when he might make the majors, and what his arrival could mean for the Pirates.

Griffin’s Rise Has Been Quick, and Somewhat Unexpected

It was in 2024 that the Pirates took Griffin out of Jackson Prep in Flowood, Mississippi with the No. 9 pick. It was neither a steal nor a reach, as MLB Pipeline and Baseball America had him ranked as exactly the draft’s No. 9 talent.

As he was listed at 6’4″, 215 pounds and came equipped with above-average power, speed, throwing and fielding tools, Griffin fit the bill of a projectable high school prospect. Yet his potential was still strictly theoretical this time last year, as he did not play any pro games after he was drafted in 2024.

Even so, he debuted in 2025 as a top-50 prospect for MLB Pipeline. He was in the No. 1 spot as soon as August, and he remains there not just for MLB Pipeline, but for ESPN, Baseball America and The Athletic as well.

Griffin Is Now a Prospect without Flaws

Though Griffin had at least four plus tools when the Bucs drafted him, there were two questions:

Would he hit?Where would he fit defensively?

There usually are hit tool questions whenever the prospect in question is a three-sport high school star. Yet Griffin had already dropped football and basketball ahead of the 2024 draft, and the Baseball America report on him even noted improvements to his swing in his final spring as a prep player.

Thanks to further adjustments to his swing, Griffin utterly erased the hit tool question in 2025. He batted .333 with a .415 OBP on a minor league journey that began with Single-A Bradenton and ended with Double-A Altoona.

Per MLB Pipeline, this is how Griffin’s tools now rate on the 20-to-80 scouting scale:

Hit: 60
Power: 65
Run: 70
Arm: 70
Field: 60

That’s a legit five-tool talent, and his fielding grade answers the second question. He was drafted as a shortstop/center field tweener, but winning a MiLB Gold Glove last year made it clear that short is where he belongs.

Griffin also hit 21 home runs and stole 65 bases to prove that his power and speed play in games as a professional. In his review of Griffin for The Athletic, Keith Law pondered whether both are even 80-grade skills.

Hyperbolically, think Giancarlo Stanton’s power and Chandler Simpson’s speed. And in this case, they’re contained in a shortstop who can hit and field like Bobby Witt Jr.

Pirates Fans Can Expect Griffin Soon—Maybe Even Very Soon

The two things keeping the Griffin hype train in check are his youth and inexperience. He’ll be 19 years old until April 24, and he only played 21 games at the Double-A level in 2025. He has yet to play at the Triple-A level.

The Pirates, though, don’t seem to care.

They showed their faith in Griffin by letting him see spring training action with the big club last year. He’s unsurprisingly been invited back for more this spring. And as ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported in November, the team is “strongly considering” giving Griffin a shot at their starting shortstop job.

Lest anyone think this is too good to be true, it was only four years ago that a strong sprint catapulted Julio Rodríguez from Double-A to the majors, resulting in a Rookie of the Year-winning season for the Seattle Mariners. And with only Nick Gonzales in his way, Griffin is not facing an insurmountable obstacle to the Bucs’ everyday lineup.

In the era of Prospect Promotion Incentives, the Pirates have real reason to move aggressively with Griffin. If he accrues a full year of service time and factors into the voting for a major award in 2026, the team would earn a draft pick after the first round of the 2027 draft.

How Griffin Could Transform the Pirates

The Pirates finished in last place in the NL Central in 2025, marking the fifth time they had done so in seven years. Per early projections, they once again project as a last-place team for 2026.

There is, nonetheless, some wind in the team’s sails.

Paul Skenes is firmly established as the best pitcher in the National League after his Cy Young Award-winning romp in 2025, and he’ll have ample help in the rotation this year. Mitch Keller is still around. Bubba Chandler is going to be an NL Rookie of the Year contender in his own right. Jared Jones will be back from elbow surgery sometime soon.

For what feels like the first time in forever, Pittsburgh has also had a good offseason. The additions of Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, Jake Mangum and Jhostnyxon Garcia can only improve what was the league’s worst offense in 2025, while Gregory Soto and Mason Montgomery should fortify the bullpen.

For this kind of ensemble, Griffin represents the finishing piece. He’s the guy who will at least make the Pirates worth watching if he’s on the roster, and potentially a contender in the NL Central if he lives up to his billing.

He’s only one guy, sure, but so is Skenes. And the shared upside of the two of them together is nothing short of astronomical. It could be like if an American League squad had both Tarik Skubal and Bobby Witt Jr.

Pirates fans shouldn’t set their sights on the World Series just yet. But the sooner Skenes and Griffin can lead the team to its first playoff series win since 1979, the sooner said fans can allow themselves to dream bigger.