Watch: Pirates' Konnor Griffin Hits First Career MLB Home Run
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates called up shortstop Konnor Griffin as a player they could rely on for power and he finally came through with a big time hit.
Griffin hit a solo home run off of Milwaukee Brewers right-handed starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
.@KonnorGriffin22's first Major-League Home Run comes on his 20th birthday. How can you not be romantic about baseball? pic.twitter.com/Is1qCKBKfc
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 25, 2026
He took a 93.4 mph four-seam fastball over the middle of the plate from Woodruff and sent it 104.4 mph off the bat and 386 feet to right center field for his first home run as a major league player.
Griffin had 66 prior at-bats where he didn't hit a home run, but has finally gone deep for the Pirates and does so on his 20th birthday as well.
It was also a celebratory moment for Griffin, who got to wear the welder's helmet after the home run, but despite no one joining in on it in the dugout, it was still a special moment.
Griffin Shows Power in the Minor Leagues
The Pirates took Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Jackson Preparatory School in Jackson, Miss., with high hopes that he could bring them a bat that would play at the major league level.
Griffin was sensational for in the minor leagues in his first season as a professional in 2025, slashing .333/.415/.527 for an OPS of .942 in 122 games, with 161 hits, 23 doubles, four triples, 21 home runs, 94 RBI and 65 stolen bases on 78 attempts.
He hit nine home runs over 50 games with Single-A Brandenton, seven home runs over 50 games with High-A Greensboro and five home runs over 21 games with Double-A Altoona.
It was impressive to see the 18/19-year old show that kind of power so early on, which helped him going into this season.
Griffin led the Pirates in Spring Training with four home runs, as he showed he could handle breaking/offspeed pitches early on.
One of the questions for Griffin was whether or not he could deal with high-velocity pitches at the major league level and this home run shows that he can do just that going forward.
The Pirates signed Griffin to a nine-year, $140 million contract extension on April 8 and just two weeks later, he's proving the franchise right for their big time-decision with him.
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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.