Pirates' Konnor Griffin Unleashes Hit in First MLB At-Bat
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates Konnor Griffin didn't let the emotions get to him to start out his MLB debut and has had success because of it.
Griffin hit an RBI-double in the bottom of the second inning of the home opener vs. the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park, giving the Pirates their first lead of the game at 1-0 and making a big impression in his first MLB at-bat.
Konnor Griffin with an RBI-Double in his first MLB at-bat
— Dominic Campbell (@DOMISMONEY) April 3, 2026
Pirates take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning pic.twitter.com/ZukaLqAMYT
He took an 85 mph curveball on the low outside corner off of Baltimore Orioles right-handed starting pitcher Kyle Bradish, hitting it 105.8 mph and 368 feet to center field.
Right fielder Ryan O'Hearn, who ledoff the bottom of the second inning with a walk, scored all the way from first base and Griffin would make it into second base for the double to put the Pirates ahead
Griffin eventually scored later on in the inning, as third baseman Jared Triolo hit a weak single to right field, with the young star using his speed to get in ahead of the tag from Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman to double Pittsburgh's lead at 2-0.
The Pirates added onto the lead after that, as catcher Henry Davis doubled down the left field line, scoring Triolo, and then center fielder Oneil Cruz singled to left field, scoring Davis and making it a 4-0 lead.
Griffin has already seen some action for the Pirates at shortstop as well, getting a ground ball from Rutschman and stepping on second base for the final out of the top of the first inning and then turning a double play with Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe in the top of the second inning.
Konnor Griffin Makes Pirates History in Debut
The Pirates normally don't call up 19 year olds to play a big role in their team, but Griffin will do that for them in 2026.
Griffin doesn't turn 20 years old until April 24 and is the first teenager to make his MLB debut for the Pirates since Aramis Ramirez did it vs. the Milwaukee Brewers on the road on May 26, 1998.
He is the first Pirates player to make his debut in the home opener since three players did so vs. the Montreal Expos on April 5, 1999 at Three Rivers Stadium, which was Warren Morris, Jason Phillies and Scott Sauerbeck.
The Pirates have Griffin as their starting shortstop and it's easy to see why, as he won an MiLB Gold Glove Award there in 2025, can hit for both contact and power and also use his speed to steal bases and score runs.
Griffin has only just begun his career, but he should continue to excel and impress during his rookie season in 2026.
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.