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Major League Baseball’s top prospect has arrived.
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Thursday that shortstop Konnor Griffin will make his major league debut in the team’s home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
Griffin, who turns 20 on April 24, was selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Amateur Draft out of Jackson Preparatory School in Flowood, Mississippi.
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Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida on March 1, 2026. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
Griffin began his minor league career in 2025, spending 50 games at Low-A (Bradenton), 51 games at High-A (Greensboro) and finishing with 21 games at Double-A (Altoona). Across 122 minor league games, Griffin hit .333 with 21 home runs and 94 RBI and 65 stolen bases.
The Mississippi native impressed in spring training this year, hitting four home runs in 16 games.
Despite his impressive spring training, the Pirates sent Griffin down to Triple-A to begin the season. However, Griffin continued his hot streak with seven hits in 16 at-bats and three stolen bases, prompting the team to call him up.
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Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin returns to the dugout during the second inning against St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida on March 1, 2026. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
If Griffin stays with the team for the rest of the season and plays well, the Pirates could be rewarded. In 2022, The Prospect Promotion Incentive was established to discourage manipulation of service time so that teams would not have the best prospects in the minors.
If the top prospect earns a full year of service and wins Rookie of the Year or finishes top three in MVP/Cy Young voting, the team gets an additional draft pick at the end of the first round.
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Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Konnor Griffin strikes out during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida on March 21, 2026. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)
The Atlanta Braves got a compensatory pick when catcher Drake Baldwin won the National League Rookie of the Year last season. The Pirates are hoping that Griffin will make an immediate impact, and the hope is that it could result in an extra first-round pick for them.
The Pirates (3-3) play the Orioles (3-3) on Friday at 4:12 p.m. ET.
