Pirates' Konnor Griffin Sets New Spring Training Record
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PITTSBURGH — Konnor Griffin may have the pressure of being the consensus top prospect in baseball, but he hasn't shown it so far in Spring Training.
Griffin has hit three home runs so far for the Pirates, leading the team and also tied for the major-league lead of any Spring Training player.
This is a new record that Griffin has set as he is the first teenager in 20 years to hit three home runs in a single Spring Training season, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.
He also hit a home run back last Spring Training at 18 years old, giving him four total, also the most by a teenager in the past 20 years, according to Langs.
Griffin, who doesn't turn 20 years old until April 22, is happy with how his Spring Training has gone so far, but is still focused on getting better for the start of the regular season.
"No, I try not to worry about too much into the future and try to be the same guy every day, Griffin said in a video from DK Pittsburgh Sports. "It's been a good spring so far, but still a lot of games to go and just trying to be the most prepared for the season I can be."
Overview of Konnor Griffin Spring Training Home Runs
Griffin hit his first two home runs against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Fla. back on Feb. 24.
His first home run came in the top of the second inning off of Red Sox left-handed starting pitcher Ranger Suarez, who just signed a five-year, $130 million contract. Griffin sent a hanging curveball 374 feet to left field and hit it 104.8 mph. off the bat, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
Griffin then hit his second home run in the top of the fourth inning off of Boston right-handed pitcher Seth Martinez.
He waited on a sweeper that he hit out 440 feet to deep center field, 111.2 mph off the bat for a more impressive home run, a solo shot that increased the Pirates lead to 4-0.
Griffin would hit his third home run in his most recent outing vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. on March 1.
He again got a sweeper, 84.1 mph sweeper over the top of the plate from right-handed pitcher Kyle Leahy, and sent it 107.8 mph off the bat and 408 feet to center field.
Griffin almost had his first Spring Training home run against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla. on Feb. 22 at 397 feet and 105.6 mph off the bat, but the wind knocked it down on the warning track near the center field wall.
Konnor Griffin Could Make MLB History Too
Griffin is angling towards not just making the Opening Day roster, but serving as the starting shortstop for the Pirates and their next star alongside Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes.
He would become just the fifth teenage position player in the past 20 years to make the Opening Day Roster, according to Baseball America, alongside the likes of Justin Upton, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Jurickson Profar and Juan Soto, who did it most recently in 2018.
Griffin also has little time spent in the minor leagues, with just 122 games played from Single-A, High-A and Double-A, plus 563 plate appearances in 2025.
Only four other players have made their MLB debut with both less than 130 games played and 575 plate appearances, according to Baseball America, including Soto (122 games played, 512 plate appearances), Alex Rodriguez (114, 475), Bryce Harper (130, 536) and Ken Griffey Jr. (129, 552).
Griffin finding himself in that type of company is no joke and bodes well for him and the Pirates going forward.
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.