BREAKING: Pirates to Promote Top Prospect Konnor Griffin for Home Opener
When the Pittsburgh Pirates return to PNC Park for the home opener on Friday, top prospect Konnor Griffin will be with them.
The Pirates are promoting the 2024 first-round draft pick to the big leagues for what will be his Major League debut against the Baltimore Orioles.
Griffin earned his status as the consensus top prospect in baseball after a stellar first professional season split between three levels. The 19-year-old, who will become the first teenage to play an MLB game since Juan Soto in 2018, slashed a combined .333/.415/.527 with 23 doubles, four triples, 21 home runs, 94 RBI and 65 steals in 122 games between Low-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona. He also won a minor-league Gold Glove at shortstop.
Griffin was in competition to crack the club’s Opening Day roster as the starting shortstop but despite slugging four home runs, hit just .171 with 13 strikeouts in 46 trips to the plate during spring training.
Ultimately, the Pirates decided to send the budding star to Triple-A Indianapolis, where he didn’t have to wait long at all until he was promoted to the big-league club. Griffin played in five games to start the season with Indianapolis and recorded at least one hit in each contest. He went 7 for 16 (.438) with a .571 on-base percentage, a .625 slug, three doubles, an RBI, four runs and three stolen bases.
The expectation is that Griffin will start at shortstop against Kyle Bradish and the Orioles for Friday’s game at 4:12 p.m. ET. If Griffin remains with the team all season, the Pirates will be eligible for a PPI draft pick.
The Pirates went 3-3 on their season-opening road trip, dropping two of three to the New York Mets before a series win against the Cincinnati Reds.
Home openers are always special and come with a palpable buzz. This one just got even more exciting.
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Wonder who gets sent down….Triolo or Cook?
Guessing Cook.