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Pirates Take Prep SS Konnor Griffin With Ninth Pick in MLB Draft

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Konnor Griffin, Pittsburgh Pirates, MLB Draft Pirates Draft

With the ninth pick in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Konnor Griffin, a prep shortstop from Flowood, Miss.



Griffin was the top high school player available in this year’s draft according to MLB Pipeline and was named the National Gatorade Player of the Year. In 43 games during his senior season, Griffin hit .559 with 13 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 39 RBIs and an eye-opening 85 steals.

Griffin, who turned 18 years in April, has some of the best tools in this year’s draft with plus-power, a plus-glove, excellent spring speed and a plus-arm, per Pipeline. With his power and speed, Griffin has the potential to be a 30-30 player at a prime position. He was the defensive skills and the athleticism to handle either shortstop or center field.

Despite his age, Griffin is already a big body, standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 215 pounds.

The biggest question mark regarding Griffin comes with his hit tool as a right-handed hitter, but there are evaluators who believe that he has the highest ceiling of anyone in this year’s draft.

Griffin is committed to play collegiately at LSU and the ninth pick has a slot value of $6,216,600, so the Pirates certainly believe they will be able to sign him and start his professional career.

This is the second time that Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has drafted a high school player in the first round. Termarr Johnson was taken with the fourth-overall pick in 2022.

Top 10 Picks:

  1. Cleveland Guardians: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
  2. Cincinnati Reds: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
  3. Colorado Rockies: Charlie Condon, OF, Georgia
  4. Oakland A’s: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
  5. Chicago White Sox: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
  6. Kansas City Royals: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
  7. St. Louis Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, SS, West Virginia
  8. Los Angeles Angels: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
  9. Pittsburgh Pirates: Konnor Griffin, SS, Mississippi (H.S.)
  10. Washington Nationals: Seaver King, SS, Wake Forest

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