The Pittsburgh Pirates might not be World Series contenders this upcoming season, but they’ve been making some offseason moves and do look a bit better for 2026 than they have in recent years.

A huge reason why the Pirates seemingly have a lot of potential is thanks to top prospect Konnor Griffin. The 20-year-old could make his MLB debut very soon, as the 2026 season could be Griffin’s time to shine.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield predicts that Griffin will not only make the Opening Day roster for the Pirates, but that he will have an all-time great rookie year when it’s all said and done.

Pirates’ Konnor Griffin predicted to have all-time rookie year

“No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin will have a Rookie of the Year season for the ages,” Schoenfield predicts. “Griffin is going to make the Opening Day roster… and he’s going to play well, posting a 3-WAR season. Those are rare from 20-year-olds: Just 14 position players have done so in the wild-card era.”

This prediction is a bold one, but based on how lofty many around MLB view Griffin, it might not be a major surprise.

A 3-WAR season for Griffin in his rookie year would be a great way to begin his career, and if he does reach his potential, he could have an even better year for the Pirates in 2026.

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Griffin is a rare talent, and he could become a superstar very easily if he can bring what he’s shown in the minor leagues to the Majors this upcoming season.

With a .333 average and .942 OPS in 122 games last year in Single-A, High-A, and Double-A, Griffin has shown immense potential already.

Seeing him make the Opening Day roster would be incredibly bold, as he still would be just 19 years old at the time of such a decision. But if his potential is reached, he could be in store for an all-time rookie year as Schoenfield predicts.

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