Not many prospects in baseball have generated as much excitement in recent years as Konnor Griffin, and the hype continues to grow as the Pittsburgh Pirates decide what they want to do with him.
Griffin’s talent has been evident throughout his young career, and many believe it’s only a matter of time before he becomes a key contributor in Pittsburgh.
The biggest question facing the Pirates, however, is when it’ll happen. Should the organization put Griffin on the Opening Day roster, or allow him additional time in the minor leagues to continue to get better?
According to Jason Mackey of MLB.com, Griffin’s talent is undeniable. However, at the same time, the Pirates might need to slow that excitement down with a careful long-term approach to his development.
Mackey believes there are important factors the organization must consider before making that decision.
“There are two sides to this question, Burt. Konnor Griffin and everyone else. If we’re looking specifically at Griffin — there’s obviously a ton of discussion surrounding him at the moment — then it goes something like this: Has he forced his way onto the roster? He’s shown incredible talent. Sure looks like he’s going to be a star.
“I have zero questions about his ability, off-field makeup or whether he’ll contribute a lot to the Pirates in the very near future. Where I have pause with him making the Opening Day roster is the organization wanting to do right by Griffin and being realistic about his 98 plate appearances at Double-A, none at Triple-A. If there’s a sliver of doubt that he could need more time, I think they’re going to exercise caution, even if it means getting criticized in the short term,” he wrote.
That cautious approach is common for players his age. Even when a player seems ready for the show, teams often want to ensure that players have enough high-level competition under their belt before making the jump.
For the Pirates, Griffin is certainly part of the future of the team. The toughness will be calling him up at the right time. Calling him up to have him struggle would be far from ideal.