Konnor Griffin, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ shortstop, played his inaugural major-league game on Friday during the team’s initial home match against the Baltimore Orioles. He secured an RBI in his very first plate appearance, striking a double to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 advantage in the second frame.
Positioned seventh in the Pirates’ lineup, Griffin stepped to the plate as the third hitter during the bottom of the second inning. Kyle Bradish, the pitcher for the Orioles, issued a walk to Ryan O’Hearn to start the inning, after which Spencer Horwitz was retired via a strikeout.
Facing Griffin, Bradish established a 1-2 count by utilizing sliders, but then he delivered a curveball that hovered over the heart of the plate, which Griffin emphatically sent into the left-center gap. O’Hearn effortlessly crossed home plate.
Griffin subsequently scored when the subsequent batter, Jared Triolo, hit a single. The Pirates accumulated a total of four runs prior to the conclusion of the inning.
Commencing the fourth inning, Griffin earned a base on balls during his second time at bat. He showed discipline by not swinging at sliders and sinkers from Bradish, who persisted in pitching to the outside of the young player.
As the shortstop, Griffin recorded the third out of the first inning by cleanly fielding a grounder hit by Adley Rutschman and stepping on second base without assistance. Furthermore, he initiated a 6-4-3 double play to conclude the second frame, snagging the ball and tossing it to second baseman Brandon Lowe, who completed the throw to first.
Griffin, set to reach his twentieth birthday on April 24, holds the distinction of being the initial teenager to appear in an MLB game since Juan Soto achieved this milestone with the Washington Nationals in 2018. Within the Pirates organization, Aramis Ramirez made his first appearance as a 19-year-old back in 1998.
Recognized as the top prospect in baseball by both MLB.com and The Athletic, Griffin was chosen by the Pirates as their first-round selection (ninth pick overall) in 2024, having played for Jackson Preparatory School located in Flowood, Mississippi.
During the previous minor league season, he progressed through the ranks from low-A to Double-A. His cumulative statistics included a .333/.415/.527 batting line, along with 21 long balls, 23 two-baggers, 94 runs batted in, and 65 successful stolen bases over 563 opportunities at the plate.
Griffin entered spring training with a chance to secure a spot on the Pirates’ Opening Day roster. However, despite hitting four homers, his performance metrics during spring, a .171/.261/.488 slash line, indicated a need for further development, leading the Pirates to reassign him to Triple-A. Nevertheless, this assignment was brief, spanning just five contests where Griffin posted an impressive .488/.571/.625 slash line over 21 plate appearances.
Reports suggest the organization is approaching a deal with Griffin for a long-term contract extension, spanning nine years and valued at $140 million.
