Pirates’ Konnor Griffin Skyrockets Up Baseball America’s Top 100
Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin is off to a sizzling start to begin his professional career, and the baseball world has taken notice.
Griffin made his professional debut with the Bradenton Marauders this season and totaled 50 games in the Florida State League. The 19-year-old had an exceptional .338/.396/.536 batting line with 10 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 36 RBI and 26 stolen bases in 30 attempts.
His performance more than justified a promotion to High-A Greensboro, where he’s continued his torrid start. In 18 games since he was promoted, Griffin carries a .343/.440/,543 batting line with five doubles, three home runs, 12 RBI and 11 stolen bases.
Griffin’s video-game like performance this season has been rewarded with a huge jump on top 100 prospects lists. Griffin is now the 13th-best prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, but he’s rated even better by another notable outlet that focuses on prospect evaluations.
Baseball America updated its top 100 list, and they have Griffin as the second-best prospect in baseball, behind only Roman Anthony, who is currently in the big leagues with the Boston Red Sox.
Pipeline had Griffin as the No. 43 prospect at the start of the season, while Baseball America had him at No. 57 in their initial yearly rankings.
The Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth pick in last year’s draft out of high school in Mississippi. He was the first prep player taken.
Griffin had desirable tools as an amateur, but some scouts questioned his hitting ability, which allowed him to fall to the Pirates. Griffin has put those questions to bed, as evident by the jump he’s made in the rankings.
In Griffin, the Pirates have a prospect with true five-tool potential. He’s considered plus or better when it comes to power, running, fielding and arm strength. He’s drastically improved his strikeout and walk totals as this season has gone on and has a .339 batting average, which shows his hit tool could end up in the same classification when all said and done too.
The expectation is that Griffin will eventually man shortstop for the Pirates, and that day could end up happening sooner than originally thought.
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