Pirates Finalizing Massive Konnor Griffin Extension
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates and top prospect in shortstop Konnor Griffin are close to securing their future together.
Buster Olney of ESPN reported that the Pirates and Griffin have agreed on a deal worth nine years, $140 million, which they're still working on finalizing.
The Pirates have called up Griffin ahead of their home opener vs. the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 3 for his MLB debut and are now inking him to what would serve as the biggest deal in franchise history.
It would eclipse the extension outfielder Bryan Reynolds signed, eight years and $106.75 million, back on April 25, 2023, which is the current franchise record.
When Will Pirates Announce Griffin Extension?
The Pirates have reportedly had talks with Griffin and his representatives on an extension, which they were originally apart on what they wanted. Both parties had it at eight years, but the Pirates were at $111 million and Griffin's team was at $130 million.
It would serve as the biggest contract ever for a player that signed before their MLB debut, if it's finalized by that time, eclipsing the deal Colt Emerson just signed with the Seattle Mariners for eight years, $95 million.
The Pirates will likely not officially announce the extension until after he makes his debut or even a few days afterwards.
This is because the Pirates want to, potentially, earn a valuable draft pick from the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI).
What PPI does is it incentivizes teams to bring up their best talent early in the season and then awards teams with that draft pick. The PPI also came in the most recent collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in 2022.
Griffin would have to either win National League Rookie of the Year or finish in the top three of NL MVP voting in one of the next three seasons. He must also be on the major league roster for 172 service days, which would, at this point, mean he spends the rest of the season on the Pirates
If he signs his extension before his debut, then that would negate his chance to earn the PPI, which is something that a team like the Pirates, who build through the draft, wouldn't really want to do.
Why Pirates Are Extending Konnor Griffin
The Pirates offering record money to a 19-year old who they took ninth overall in 2024 out of Jackson Preparatory School in Jackson, Miss. is something they'd almost never do, but Griffin is the exception.
He can do almost anything for the Pirates, hit for contact and power, make incredible plays on defense and steal bases for fun. He is also incredibly mature for his age, already married and is physically ready, 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds, to handle major league responsibilities at a young age.
The Pirates and Griffin both benefit from this deal, as they keep their star in Pittsburgh for almost a decade and Griffin makes generational money before he turns 20 years old.
An extension also forgoes the usual contract negotiations with young players, which includes three years of pre-arbitration, where a player makes around MLB minimum salary ($780,000), and then three years of arbitration, where the player and team agree to a salary or go to a panel who sides with one of the parties.
The Pirates buy three years of free agency and Griffin can still earn another big contract when he turns 29 years old and still in his prime.
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.