Konnor Griffin Wants More Than Just Winning While With Pirates

Even though the Pittsburgh Pirates were halfway across the country, optimism was high at PNC Park on Wednesday.

The Pirates officially signed first-round draft pick Konnor Griffin and introduced him at a press conference alongside general manager Ben Cherington.

“It’s exciting with a high school player when you hear conviction from people with different kinds of expertise,” said Cherington in an opening statement. “Certainly our scouting group has a lot of conviction, people that have been watching games all their lives and developing that expertise have a lot of belief in Konnor Griffin.”

The Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth pick out of Jackson Prep in Mississippi. He was the first high school player taken in this year’s draft. 

As you would expect from any player who accomplished his goal of being selected in the first round, Griffin is thrilled to start his professional career.

“It’s a dream to sign your name on the contract and put a pro jersey on,” he said. “Just super thankful for the people that helped me get here and it feels great. Super excited, ready to get going and ready to try to start my track to the big leagues.”

Griffin was surrounded by loved ones on what was undoubtedly one of the most special days of his young life. His parents, Kim and Kevin, brothers Kannon and Kaden, and girlfriend, Dendy, all watched on with beaming hearts as Konnor sat next to Cherington in the press conference room at 115 Federal St.

The Griffin family comes from the small town of Florence, Miss., but together, they have been taken in the sights and sounds of downtown Pittsburgh.

“The city of Pittsburgh has been beautiful,” Griffin explained. “Lot of great food – I’ve eaten at some great places around town and the Pirates organization has done a great job of letting me get out, walk around and see what it’s all about.”

Shortly after his introductory press conference and ensuing photo session with his family concluded, Griffin got to walk out onto the field at PNC Park and take in the beautiful skyline.

Though he surely was envisioning himself suiting up to play either at shortstop or in center field, Griffin wants to be more than just a baseball player as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“I got drafted to play with the Pirates but that also means I get to make an impact on the city of Pittsburgh one day,” Griffin said. “I think that’s important to see outside the baseball organization and see what the city’s about.”

Griffin reclassified from 2025 to the 2024 class. Barely 18 years old, he was one of the younger prospects available in the draft.

Despite his youth, Griffin is extremely grounded and mature, and not just physically. Griffin is listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds. Scouts love his frame, but it’s his emotional maturity that really stood out to me in the couple of interactions we’ve had since he’s been drafted.

While a lot of 18-year-old kids might be solely focused on getting to the big leagues as fast as possible or spending some of the $6.5 million bonus that Griffin signed for, he’s already thinking about giving back to a community he hardly knows. 

It speaks volumes to who he is as a person and how he was raised.

“It’s always been my goal to make an impact wherever I go,” he said. “The sky’s the limit of what you can do in the city. I’m just here to first win games and then hopefully interact with the community, maybe do some charity events and things like that. I’m super excited because, as an athlete, I have the ability to do that and I really want to do that because that’s who I am.”