ESPN recently ranked every team's lineup heading into the 2026 season, and the Pittsburgh Pirates came in at No. 23. That said, this prediction didn't have Konnor Griffin in it.

This position is probably fair, even after the Pirates were incredibly busy in the offseason, adding Brandon Lower, Marcell Ozuna, and Ryan O'Hearn. For Pittsburgh to have an elite lineup, they need more internal development from players like Oneil Cruz, Spencer Horwitz, and Nick Gonzalez.