Pirates' Konnor Griffin Gets First Spring Training Start
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PITTSBURGH — Konnor Griffin is the consensus top prospect in baseball and will make his first Spring Training start for the Pirates.
Griffin starts at shortstop and hits second for the Pirates, as they take on the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Park in Clearwater, Fla., with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m.
He is joined by fellow Jackson Prep alum Jake Mangum, who makes his first Spring Training start in left field and leads off. Spencer Horwitz joins Mangum in making his first Spring Training start, serving as the designated hitter and batting third.
Griffin will form an infield partnership with Termarr Johnson at second base, as they did towards the end of last season at Double-A Altoona. Johnson will bat seventh.
Jack Branningan takes over at third base and hits eighth and Enmanuel Valdez makes his second start at first base, batting fifth, rounding out the infield.
Rising Pirates outfielder prospect Esmerlyn Valdez starts in right field and hits sixth, while Mitch Jebb will play in center field and hit ninth, completing the outfield.
Rafael Flores Jr. plays catcher and hits fourth and will work with right-handed starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft, who makes his first Spring Training start.
Pirates Lineup vs. the Phillies
Position | Player |
|---|---|
Left Fielder | Jake Mangum |
Shortstop | Konnor Griffin |
Designated Hitter | Spencer Horwitz |
Catcher | Rafael Flores Jr. |
First Base | Enmanuel Valdez |
Right Fielder | Esmerlyn Valdez |
Second Baseman | Termarr Johnson |
Third Baseman | Jack Brannigan |
Center Fielder | Mitch Jebb |
Travel Roster for the Pirates vs. the Phillies
The Pirates will also have 30 players on this travel roster, which includes 10 pitchers and 20 position players.
Right-handed relief pitcher Cam Sanders is the only other player that is on the 40-man roster that isn't starting for the Pirates.
The Pirates will also have some rising prospects in infielders like Callan Moss and Wyatt Sanford, both of whom had important 2025 campaigns and will look to build on that this year.
Pitchers
Name | Throwing Arm |
|---|---|
Braxton Ashcraft (Starter) | Right |
Nick Dombkowski | Left |
Joe La Sorsa | Left |
J.P. Massey (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Greiber Mendez (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Cam Sanders | Right |
Jake Shirk (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Peyton Stumbo (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Landon Tomkins (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Mike Walsh (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Catchers
Name | Batting Side |
|---|---|
Derek Berg | Right |
Rafael Flores Jr. | Right |
Luke Scherrer | Right |
Infielders
Name | Hitting Side |
|---|---|
Jack Brannigan | Right |
Jesus Castillo (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Keiner Delgado (Minor Leaguer) | Switch-Hitter |
Konnor Griffin | Right |
Spencer Horwitz | Left |
Termarr Johnson | Left |
Callan Moss (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Antonio Pimentel (Minor Leaguer) | Left |
Wyatt Sanford (Minor Leaguer) | Left |
Enmanuel Valdez | Left |
Outfielders
Name | Hitting Side |
|---|---|
Ivan Brethowr (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Tres Gonzalez (Minor Leaguer) | Left |
Mitch Jebb | Left |
Jake Mangum | Switch Hitter |
Shalin Polanco (Minor Leaguer) | Left |
Brian Sanchez (Minor Leaguer) | Left |
Will Taylor (Minor Leaguer) | Right |
Esmerlyn Valdez | Right |
Pirates Face Rays in Spring Training Home Opener
This is a split-day for the Pirates, as they host the Tampa Bay Rays at LECOM Park in Bradenton, with first pitch also set for 1:05 p.m.
Brandon Lowe faces his former team, after the Pirates traded to get him from the Rays this offseason, making his first Spring Training start at second base and hitting second.
Jhostynxon García also joined the Pirates in a trade, from the Boston Red Sox, and makes his first Spring Training start, doing so in left field and hitting fifth in the lineup.
Bryan Reynolds and Henry Davis both make their first Spring Training starts as well, with Reynolds serving as designated hitter and batting third and Davis at catcher and hitting fourth.
Nick Yorke and Billy Cook make their second Spring Training starts, but Yorke moves to first base and leads off, while Cook plays center field and hits sixth in the lineup.
The Pirates have three non-roster invitees at the end of their lineup, with Dominic Fletcher in right field and batting seventh, Davis Wendzel playing third base and batting eighth and Alika Williams playing shortstop and batting ninth.
Right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller makes his first start of Spring Training and is heading into his eighth major league season.
Position | Player |
|---|---|
First Base | Nick Yorke |
Second Base | Brandon Lowe |
Designated Hitter | Bryan Reynolds |
Catcher | Henry Davis |
Left Fielder | Jhostynxon García |
Center Fielder | Billy Cook |
Right Fielder | Dominic Fletcher |
Third Base | Davis Wendzel |
Shortstop | Alika Williams |
Bench For the Pirates vs. the Rays
The Pirates also have a shorter bench with it being a split-squad day, with five pitchers and nine position players.
Outfielder Edward Florentino is on the bench and his 2025 season saw him rise up top prospect lists, making him on the best future talents in all of baseball.
Fellow outfielder in Tony Blanco Jr. displayed some serious power last year, winning the 2025 Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby and setting the hardest hit home run in the minor leagues.
Pitchers
Name | Throwing Arm |
|---|---|
Brandon Cain | Right |
Junior Flores | Right |
Kyle Larsen | Right |
Brandon Neeck | Left |
Tyrone Yullie | Right |
Position Players
Name | Posiition |
|---|---|
Tony Blanco Jr. | Outfielder |
Johan De Los Santos | Infielder |
Yordanny De Los Santos | Infielder |
Titus Dumitru | Outfielder |
Edward Florentino | Outfielder |
PJ Hilson | Outfielder |
Axiel Plaz | Catcher |
Javier Rivas | Infielder |
Lonnie White Jr. | Outfielder |
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.