Pirates Farm Director Reveals Plan For Konnor Griffin
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It takes a special player to already be ranked as one of the top prospects in baseball before ever stepping on the field as a pro.
That's where the Pirates' 2024 first-round pick, Konnor Griffin, finds himself heading into the 2025 season. Griffin is ranked as Pittsburgh's No. 2 prospect and the No. 43 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline.
With Griffin set to begin his first season in the pros, Pirates farm director Michael Chernow revealed his plans for the first-round pick and also revealed what he believes the 6-foot-4 shortstop is capable of if he reaches his ceiling.
"Any word that I can use to describe Konnor doesn’t do him justice," Chernow said in a Q&A with MLB.com's Jim Lachimia. "He’s got a chance to be a really special player. He’s going to play shortstop, and we’re going to see what center field looks like. He’s going to stay at those premium positions. He’s got a chance to steal 50 bags. He’s a big, strong kid with a chance to hit for power. He makes a ton of contact. He’s maturing in his approach as time goes on. That’s really important and exactly what you expect from a high school kid. I’m really excited for him."
Pirates No. 2 prospect Konnor Griffin was the first high school player taken off the boards in the 2024 Draft!
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 27, 2025
The 18-year-old is ranked the No. 43 prospect in MLB entering the 2025 season.@MLBPipeline | @JonathanMayo pic.twitter.com/LC5wBKG5Q7
Chernow is entering his first season as the Pirates’ director of coaching and player development after three seasons as the assistant director under John Baker.
Griffin made the Golden Spikes Award watchlist in his senior season, a rarity for a high school player, and set school records in runs scored and stolen bases at Jackson Prep. In his senior year, the 6-foot-4 shortstop/outfielder batted .559 with 9 home runs, 39 RBIs and 87 stolen bases on 88 attempts en route to winning the Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Chernow is far from the only one who is high on Griffin. MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo credited the Pirates for taking a chance on Griffin as the first high school player taken in his class and believes his tools were some of the best in the 2024 MLB Draft.
"They went all in on Konnor Griffin's tools and he has as loud tools as anybody in the 2024 draft class," Mayo said. "Unbelievable raw power that he's going to continue to get to. He's got bat speed, he's got strength [and] he's got leverage."
With a farm system that's littered with ascending pitching prospects, Pittsburgh needs a position player who can step up and add some juice. Whether it's at shortstop or center field, If Griffin can live up to the lofty expectations that have been placed upon him, it would go a long way toward doing just that for the Pirates.
