Red Sox’s Alex Cora ‘Impressed’ By Star 19-Year-Old Prospect originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Alex Cora got an explosive first glimpse of a fast-rising MLB prospect.
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Konnor Griffin made a loud spring training statement at the Boston Red Sox‘s expense when crushing two home runs on Tuesday. The Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop is raising eyebrows across baseball as he competes for an Opening Day job.
Cora praised Griffin after the standout performance, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.
“I was impressed by his physicality and how well he moves for his size,” Cora said.
The 6-foot-4, 222-pound Griffin batted .333 and stole 65 bases in the minor leagues last season, working his way up three levels at age 19. While Cora witnessed the consensus No. 1-ranked prospect’s lofty power, he also appreciated Griffin hustling down the line on a ground ball to third base.
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“That’s a ballplayer right there,” Cora said.
Griffin is quickly gaining hype as a future MLB star. Bryce Harper predicted that the shortstop will be a “stud” while watching him play on Sunday.
If he keeps dazzling in spring, Griffin could become the youngest player to start on Opening Day since Adrian Beltre in 1999. Per Tim Healey of the Boston Globe, Cora jokingly apologized to Pirates general manager Ben Cherington for the Red Sox inadvertently putting more pressure on Pittsburgh to bring Griffin to the big leagues.
“I think we contributed to the whole thing now,” Alex Cora said. “Sorry, Ben.”
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