Pirates Shortstop Linked to 2026 NL Rookie of Year
In this story:
When it comes to bold predictions, it doesn't get much more bold than this. The Pittsburgh Pirates know they have a shortstop problem, but the solution could be waiting for them in Double A.
Konnor Griffin was predicted by ESPN's Tristan Cockcroft to win the 2026 NL Rookie of the Year Award. In no world is that a lock, far from it, and Griffin still has to earn his spot on the roster.
Pittsburgh's 2024 No. 9 overall pick has taken the world by storm, and at this point the team may want to strongly consider making him the Opening Day shortstop.
There are no guarantees Griffin lives up to the hype, but the team will never know until they actually give him a shot. With playoff aspirations, it's crazy to think the Pirates could have yet another budding superstar in their organization.
Tristan Cockcroft Is All In On Konnor Griffin
"Griffin, baseball's top prospect entering 2026, has already been discussed as a candidate to earn the Opening Day shortstop job, and he's a five-tool player who should force his way into the Pirates' lineup, perhaps on a Paul Skenes-like May timetable, quickly," Cockcroft said.
Cockcroft continued, "Griffin's arrival will continue the Pirates' youth movement, and while the team will need to make the right free agent moves the rest of this winter as well as before the trade deadline in-season, they should take a noticeable step forward in 2026."
Skenes made his MLB debut on May 11 which showed how quickly he climbed the ranks. There doesn't seem to be a legitimate push for Griffin to kick off the season as the Pirates everyday shortstop, but there should be no reasy he doesn't follow Skenes progression and make his MLB debut sooner rather than later.
Griffin's Quest For Rookie Of The Year
Last year, Griffin began to work his way through the minors. He had 207 at-bats in the Florida State League (A) before moving up to the South Atlantic League (A+). While he played 51 games with the Greensboro Grasshoppers compared to 50 with the Bradenton Marauders, he saw 13 fewer at-bats.
By the end of the year, Griffin was able to play 21 games with the Pirates Double A squad. The 19-year-old slashed .337/.418/.542 with the Altoona Curve as he put up a career high .960 OPS.
Obviously, his time in AA has a smaller sample size so those numbers are a bit skewed. Either way, Griffin is a one-man wrecking crew and there hasn't been a pitcher in the minors who's been able to shut him down. He's a key name to monitor these next few months as there may not be a reason for the team to go out and trade for a shortstop.
-8bfc4854a6a49ec0e06fe32d76334d6d.jpeg "Jordon Lawrenz")
Jordon Lawrenz began his On SI journey writing for the Tennessee Titans and Iowa Hawkeyes. Since then, he's began contributing to both the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.