Pirates Prospect Has Superstar Potential
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The Pittsburgh Pirates already have one of the top prospects in baseball with right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler being MLB Pipeline's No. 15 prospect in baseball and the No. 2 ranked pitcher overall.
With Chandler reaching Triple-A last season and having a shot to be Pittsburgh's No. 5 starter this season, that would open the door for shortstop Konnor Griffin to become the Pirates' top prospect. Griffin was the Pirates' first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and is already the Pirates' No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline. Overall, MLB Pipeline ranks him as the No. 51 prospect in baseball before he's even taken the field for the Pirates.
MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis believes Griffin will have a chance to quickly ascend the ranks if he finds early success if his bat translates to pro ball.
"Signed for $6,532,025 by the Pirates as the No. 9 overall selection, Griffin could climb toward the very top of the Top 100 if he gets off to a hot start when he makes his pro debut this spring," Callis writes. "He has well above-average raw power and speed and offers quality defense at premium positions, so he'll be a superstar if the bat plays."
Griffin was the first high school player taken in the 2024 MLB Draft. He made the Golden Spikes Award watchlist and set school records in runs scored and stolen bases at Jackson Prep. In his final high school season, Griffin 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.
Callis noted that Griffin didn't come without his concerns, particularly about his ability to hit. But if Griffin can live up to his potential as a hitter, the Pirates may have struck gold with their first-round pick from last year.
"It all comes down to how much Griffin hits," Callis writes. "He had the highest ceiling in the 2024 Draft as a potential 30-30 guy who could provide plus defense at shortstop or win Gold Gloves in center field. But he also was a polarizing prospect because some teams had serious concerns about the characteristics of his right-handed swing and whether it would translate well to pro ball."
