Pirates' Ben Cherington Addresses Konnor Griffin Not Making Opening Day

The Pittsburgh Pirates won't have their top prospect on Opening Day.

Mar 9, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (75) runs to second base on a two-rbi double against the New York Yankees in the fifth inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — Konnor Griffin will have to wait before making his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates, something that wasn't an easy decision for the front office.

The Pirates reassigned Griffin to minor league camp on March 21, where he will start the 2026 season, missing out on the Opening Day roster and has to earn his spot in the future.

Griffin had great moments in Spring Training, like his four home runs, the most of any teenager in the past 20 years. He also had some weaker moments, such as his .171 batting average, with seven hits n 41 at-bats and just two walks to 13 strikeouts.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington spoke on SportsNet Pittsburgh on March 22 about sending Griffin down and that there was an opportunity for him to make the team, but they needed to look at how he performed in Spring Training.

They liked what they saw for the most part, but putting him down at Triple-A Indianapolis gives him the chance to play every day, get more at-bats and have less pressure to succeed immediately this season.

“We weren’t closing the door coming into Spring Training," Cherington said. "Wanted to learn as much as we could from spring training and I think he showed us all the things that make us believe in him so much.

"We saw the defensive ability, the base-stealing, the speed, the power and just ultimately got to a point in the Spring where we felt like, ‘You know what, let’s give him an opportunity to get a run in Triple-A,’. Just get some more bats underneath him. Sort of looking out for the length of the season and his future.”

How Konnor Griffin Stood Out to Ben Cherington

While it's not easy for Griffin to start in the minor leagues after all the hype he received and having the title of top prospect in baseball, Cherington noticed that it didn't hold Griffin back.

Cherington spoke about Griffin's maturity during his time in Spring Training and that he wants to play for the Pirates and be with the team for the foreseeable future.

“I don’t think too much unexpected. The stuff during the games, everyone can see. I think the thing that people don’t see is just what he values off the field, what he values away from the game, his practice, the teammate he wants to be," Cherington said.

“Several teams when, and you know how it goes in Spring Training, you come out of the game, you finish the inning and go back to the clubhouse, do your reps and get out of here, so often he was staying in the dugout because he wanted to be there with his teammates, things like that. 

"So he really cares, he’s got a really high level of care. Wants to be a Pirate, wants to be a Pirate for a long time and we’re fortunate he’s a Pirate. That’s for sure."

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