Pirates' Konnor Griffin is in Perfect Place to Start Career
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates now have a pillar of the franchise in shortstop Konnor Griffin, who couldn't be in a better place to succeed in the major leagues.
Griffin signed a nine-year, $140 million contract extension with the Pirates on April 8, that will keep him with the team through the 2034 season and as someone that can bring winning baseball to the city for the foreseeable future.
This contract is the largest for any rookie in MLB history and also the biggest in Pirates history, surpassing the eight-year, $106.75 million contract extension that Bryan Reynolds signed on April 25, 2023.
Griffin is just 19 years old and it's a big commitment from the both the Pirates and himself to try and live up to those expectations and produce the way he's projected to do.
He has a great support system, including his father Kevin Griffin, who sees the pressure that his son has on him.
Kevin Griffin is confident in his son's abilities, but also that he could make Pittsburgh his home far after his first contract is over.
"Not really. When you look at it, he’s just a kid who loves playing baseball," Kevin Griffin said. "The fact that those numbers are as big as they are, it’s kind of overwhelming. Kind of feels surreal to be standing here thinking about it. If you ask Konnor, this is something he dreamed about from the time he started playing the game. He didn’t understand the dynamic of the value of a dollar.
"But now that he’s in this situation, he has said, he wanted to be a Pirate and play in the same organization his entire career. He’s been around guys like Chipper Jones who said it’s so special to be able to play in one place your whole career. I know this is the first nine of it. Hopefully there will be more to come after that."
Why Konnor Griffin Will Benefit From Being With the Pirates
Griffin is now the starting shortstop for the Pirates, which he took over following his MLB debut on April 3.
It's been a good showing from Griffin in the field, making diving stops, displaying his range with his arm and having a confidence that normally comes from someone who has played the position for many years.
Griffin also is playing almost every day for the Pirates, getting three to four at-bats per game, where he can adjust to major league pitching moving forward.
He did have a streak of 14 at-bats without a hit, but has also had an RBI-double in his first MLB at-bat and two big hits in the 7-1 win over the San Diego Padres at PNC Park on April 7.
Griffin will also now be the "face of the franchise" for the Pirates and won't have to wait for anything to already have that title bestowed upon him.
This gives him the opportunity to become a leader in the clubhouse and help the Pirates create a winning culture for years to come.
One other reason why Pittsburgh is great for Griffin is that they were the ninth team in the 2024 MLB Draft and they didn't look past him, making sure he was their first round pick, which is now seen as one of the better selections in recent history and something Kevin Griffin noted as well.
"They’re the ones who took a chance on him," Kevin Griffin said. "There are eight other teams that passed on him. We felt like, when the Pirates drafted him, this was the perfect spot for him just because of relationships that we had built. Through the draft, [Pirates scout] Darren Mazeroski was incredible. To put that piece of the puzzle together with his dad and him was pretty special."
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.