Baseball's top prospect, Konnor Griffin, inks a nine-year, $140-million deal, securing his future with the Pittsburgh Pirates and promising electrifying play.
Konnor Griffin has officially become a cornerstone player for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
On Wednesday morning, the Pirates signed the 19-year-old shortstop—universally considered the top prospect in baseball—to a nine-year, $140-million contract, ensuring he will remain under team control through the 2034 season.
Before Griffin made his major-league debut last Friday—during the Pittsburgh's home opener against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park—the sides agreed in principle to the contract.
Griffin did not address the contract situation directly that day, but did say, "All I'm going to say is, I want to be a Pirate for a long time. This is a special place, and I'm thankful to be here.”
The Pirates selected Griffin in the first round of the 2024 draft with the ninth overall pick after he graduated from high school in Flowood, Miss.
Last season, Griffin made his professional debut and won Minor League Player of the Year honors. Over 122 games—spanning both Class A levels and Double-A Altoona—he hit .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases. He also earned a Gold Glove.
Through his first five major-league games, Griffin is 3 for 17 with a double. But on Tuesday night, he broke out, going 2 for 4 with a two-run single as his team notched a 7-1 victory over the visiting San Diego Padres.
His promotion followed an impressive five-game stint at Triple-A Indianapolis to begin the season, where he went 7 for 16 with three doubles.
Prior to Tuesday’s game, general manager Ben Cherington explained why Pittsburgh had Griffin make what turned out to be a brief stop at Triple-A before bringing him to the big leagues.
“I think at the end of spring training it felt like the timing wasn't just right,” Cherington said. “Pressing a little bit, maybe. I think he even said some things about that. The time at Triple-A wasn't long, but it looked like he had settled back into his at-bats. We know the defense is going to be there. We know the baserunning is going to be there.
“Just what he brings energy-wise, attitude-wise, and as a teammate, that's going to be there every day. Whenever he was going to get to the major Leagues, there was going to be some offensive transition. We know that. Ultimately, it just felt like he was going to make the team better. That was how it landed."
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