Pirates top prospect Konnor Griffin’s MLB debut: What to know
Konnor Griffin is headed to the majors!
The Pittsburgh Pirates are calling up the top prospect within the sport forward of Friday’s residence opener in opposition to the Baltimore Orioles.
Still a youngster for an additional three weeks, the 19-year-old shortstop is predicted to develop into MLB’s first teenage place participant since Juan Soto debuted in 2018.
There has been loads of hype surrounding Griffin this spring, however simply how good is he? What ought to followers anticipate from him early on — and within the years to come? And what does his debut imply for the Pirates? Let’s dig in.
How good is Griffin?
Griffin is the most effective prospective baseball you’ve got seen in years.
He is a plus-plus runner with a plus-plus arm and, within the final 12 months, he went from profiling as a probably common defensive shortstop who might ultimately transfer to the outfield to an above-average defensive shortstop. He additionally has plus-plus uncooked energy fueled by electrical bat velocity and his 6-foot-3, 222-pound body.
Going into the 2024 MLB draft I in contrast Griffin to San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr.. — significantly due to the thought on the time that Griffin might transfer to the outfield like Tatis did. It’s now extra frequent to hear Bobby Witt Jr..’s identify invoked as the first comp. Griffin’s mixture of bat velocity and efficiency at this age additionally reminds a few of Ronald Acuna Jr.., who debuted within the massive leagues simply after turning 20 years previous.
Griffin actually has the entire instruments, dimension and pedigree to be a celebrity and the checklist of gamers with these instruments, this efficiency, and this prospect rating to debut within the massive leagues at this age is chock filled with stars and Hall of Famers. Griffin is not a certain factor as a result of no one is, and nearly all of those gamers had kinks to work out early of their massive league careers, however the entire parts are right here to justify getting fairly excited.
I made an algorithm over the winter to think about age-, level- and park-adjusted efficiency; exit veil; velocity; protection; and age vs. degree to assist type by means of the entire Statcast-style knowledge for place gamers within the minor leagues. Griffin beat the second-best prospect by this measure (Detroit’s Kevin McGoniglethe consensus No. 2 prospect in baseball and early AL ROY favourite) by over 25%. Second and third (St. Louis’ J.J. Wetherholt) have been separated by 3%, and third and fourth (Seattle’s Colt Emerson) have been separated by 1%. You get the thought.
Can the Pirates get a bonus draft choose if Griffin is a direct star?
Yes. Griffin has been referred to as up quickly sufficient to qualify the Pirates for a potential promotion incentive choose if he wins Rookie of the Year or finishes within the top three in MVP voting earlier than arbitration (doubtless Griffin’s first three seasons) as a result of he’ll get a full season of MLB service if he stays up all of this season. The further choose can be proper after the primary spherical. Last yearthe Kansas City Royals obtained the twenty eighth choose for Witt’s MVP end and, within the 2024 draftthe Arizona Diamondbacks (thirty first choose) and Baltimore Orioles (thirty second) have been awarded for Corbin Carroll’s and Gunnar Henderson’s ROY wins, respectively.
Notably, the Pirates did not qualify for a PPI choose after Paul Skenes’ Rookie of the Year win as a result of he wasn’t referred to as up early sufficient to get a full 12 months of service, however by successful NL ROY, he was granted a full 12 months of service. Pittsburgh was good to keep away from repeating that scenario, however this name can be simpler to make with place gamers since there aren’t innings limits to take into consideration.
In addition, there have been experiences of Griffin and the Pirates talking about a potential contract extension all spring and the Pirates would not be eligible for a choose if he had signed it earlier than being promoted. The thought behind the rule is for groups to name up gamers when they’re prepared, not as soon as the workforce has locked of their salaries. Griffin might signal a deal after his debut and the Pirates might nonetheless get the choose if Griffin will get the required finishes for {hardware}.
Where did Griffin come from?
Griffin was a longtime elite prep prospect in Mississippi and the primary place participant from his draft class to hit the nationwide stage. He primarily held that top spot all the way in which till draft time, even after reclassifying from the 2025 draft class to the 2024 draft.
He was within the consensus top tier of gamers forward of the 2024 draft (it was given or taken with 10 gamers) however wanted a swing adjustment that scared some groups off. I ranked Griffin seventh in that class and he went ninth total, touchdown the eighth highest bonus and being the primary highschool participant taken).
Nick Kurtz He was additionally within the top tier of gamers and went fourth total, touchdown the sixth-highest bonus, earlier than successful AL Rookie of the Year final season. Other stars might materialize from this 2024 draft class: Chase Burns, Jac CaglianoneTravis Bazzana and Wetherholt have been additionally in that top tier, whereas Carson Benge and Trey Yesavage have been the nineteenth and twentieth total picks, respectively. But Griffin and Kurtz appear to be the early stars of this class.
Griffin made the swing adjustment instantly after signing then had one of many nice full-season professional debuts in prospect historical past final season, hitting .333/.415/.527 with 21 residence runs and 65 stolen bases in 122 video games throughout each A-ball ranges and Double-A as a 19-year-old. Combine that together with his gaudy numbers in 5 Triple-A video games to begin this season and Griffin has probably the most peerless minor league observe stat traces of all time, ought to his minor league profession now be over.
This has been misplaced a bit in all of the hype round his rise, however Griffin was additionally a extremely good pitching prospect. Going into the draft, I compared him to Jack Flaherty on the mound (who was additionally a notable two-way prep prospect) and I believe Griffin might’ve nonetheless gotten not less than $2 million if he had by no means swung a bat in his life. He has a kind of elite instrument units that will probably be among the many lofty comps you can place on any draft prospect for the following few a long time, becoming a member of Bo Jackson, Josh Hamilton, Bryce Harper and Justin Upton.
Are there any issues about Griffin’s sport?
They are fairly restricted, however these are vital to word. Griffin’s method on the plate is to do harm and extra particularly hit the ball onerous. The loft in his swing and his means to pull/raise to get that energy in video games is simply OK, whereas he depends extra on his energy/bat velocity than the route/loft to ship extra-base hits. This was additionally an analogous criticism of Vlad Jr. and Junior Caminero on the identical stage; it is extra of a nitpick, however price mentioning.
Because of this method, his bat-to-ball means is nice, not nice, and his pitch choice can be wonderful, however not elite. Since Griffin is so younger and has performed solely 26 regular-season video games above A-ball (and solely 24 massive league spring coaching video games), there might be some rising pains in turning his massive uncooked instruments into manufacturing. His gentle abilities of working an at-bat in opposition to superior pitchers can solely be so good proper now. Once the league will get a scouting report on its traits after a number of weeks, I’d anticipate some slump-like stretches.
The separator right here goes again to when Griffin adjusted his swing airplane quickly after being drafted. Scouts nonetheless complain to me that their workforce eradicated Griffin from consideration in 2024 too shortly due to the swing questions, so I requested round attempting to determine how and why he did this and if it applies to different prospects with comparable issues. The reply was some model of this take: Griffin has elite instruments and can be an elite employee who takes teaching nicely and integrates the solutions shortly. Nobody, not even Pittsburgh or Griffin’s personal camp, knew he would make the adjustment or do it shortly, however the Pirates thought it was a bet price taking.
If I might give one factor to a proficient, younger participant so he might climate the challenges of being dropped into the deep finish of the pool that’s dealing with trendy massive league pitchers day by day for the primary time, it could be this means.
