Pirates' Konnor Griffin Smashes Two Home Runs vs. Red Sox
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PITTSBURGH — Konnor Griffin hadn't shown what Pittsburgh Pirates fans wanted to see in his first two games of Spring Training but has now done exactly what made him the top prospect in all of baseball.
Griffin crushed two home runs against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Fla., displaying incredible power in his first two at-bats.
His first home run came in the top of the second inning off of Red Sox left-handed starting pitcher Ranger Suarez. 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.
No. 1 Prospect Konnor Griffin hits his first #SpringTraining home run! 💪 pic.twitter.com/YllOJIHZLw
— MLB (@MLB) February 24, 2026
Griffin then hit his second home run in the top of the fourth inning off of Red Sox 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 at 4-0.
That's ✌️ today! pic.twitter.com/VarLMbSajj
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) February 24, 2026
Griffin didn't hit a home run in his third at-bat, but his ground ball scored a run and extended the Pirates' lead at 7-1 in the top of the fifth inning.
His final at-bat was hard hit, breaking his bat in the top of the sixth inning, but Griffin once again showed his power that has Pirates fans excited to see what he can do in 2026.
Examining Konnor Griffin's Power
Griffin was one of the better power bats in the Pirates minor league system in 2025, his first professional season.
He hit 21 home runs across three different levels were second in the Pirates minor league system to only fellow rising prospect Esmerlyn Valdez, who hit 26 home runs last year.
Konnor Griffin Home Runs By Minor League Level in 2025
Team (Games) | Home Runs |
|---|---|
Single-A Bradenton (50) | 9 |
High-A Greensboro (51) | 7 |
Double-A Altoona (21) | 5 |
Griffin had his best power game with Double-A Altoona, where he hit two home runs and drove in a season-high seven RBI in a 14-3 road win over Harrisburg on Aug. 29.
He also had three different instances of back-to-back games with a home run, once with Single-A Bradenton and twice with High-A Greensboro.
Griffin also benefits from his speed on the base paths, 65 steals in 2025, as he hit an inside-the-park home run for Bradenton against Clearwater on June 7.
What makes Griffin such a great power hitter is his 6-foot-4, 225-pound stature, which already makes him an imposing figure at the plate.
This is combined with an improved swing last season, that saw him by keeping his bat straight and near his head for a more controlled swing that allows him to reach the ground quicker and generate more power, as shown by Aram Leighton of Just Better Baseball.
Griffin has already shown his power at Pirate City in Bradenton during Spring Training, hitting balls into the parking lot and way out of the park during batting practice.
He 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.
As long as Griffin continues making adjustments, he'll keep improving as a power hitter throughout his career, which could serve as one of the best ever in the sport with recent projections.
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.