Developmental debate rages as top prospect Konnor Griffin starts in the minors for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ decision to start Konnor Griffin in the minors has sparked industry discussion.
Some in baseball support general manager Ben Cherington’s decision to give Griffin more time to develop. Griffin, the top prospect, is 19 and has only 98 Double-A plate appearances.
Critics argue the Pirates undermine their major-league prospects by insisting on Jared Triolo at shortstop, despite Griffin's superior batting and fielding skills. Pittsburgh insists it can contend after its roster overhaul, following a 71-91 season and a last-place finish in the National League Central.
Cherington stated his case on Monday when he met with reporters in Bradenton, Fla., on the final day of the Pirates’ spring training camp.
“He’s really young, and he's incredibly important to us, and we think he has a chance to be a very, very good player for a long time, and we feel some obligation to make sure that we're doing everything we can to support him and be that very, very good player for the longest time possible,” Cherington said.
Griffin, the ninth overall selection in the 2024 amateur draft, hit a team-high four home runs in 46 plate appearances in the Grapefruit League this spring. However, his slash line was just .171/.261/.488, and he struck out 13 times and walked twice.
These stats convinced Pittsburgh to start Griffin in Triple-A. Cherington said Griffin didn’t resist the decision.
“The great thing about him is that whenever the challenge has been put in front of him, really, from the day he signed with the Pirates, he's attacked it head-on and met it,” Cherington said. “I think he feels there's some work to do, and we've had good conversations about that. We're excited to see what he does.”
Still, it’s fair to question how much Griffin can grow on the farm—last season, he hit .333 with 21 home runs and 65 steals as Minor League Player of the Year. The International League doesn’t match major-league competition.
I don’t believe Griffin’s confidence would falter after a rough start in the majors. Although I don’t know him well, he strikes me as mentally as well as physically strong.
The main takeaway is clear: the Pirates say they want to win now, but by keeping their best player in Triple-A, they may be undercutting their own chances.
“Every player is different,” Cherington said. “Every path is going to be a little bit different, and we need to be careful with that. We'll see what happens.”
Yet the Pirates’ story is unchanged. Pittsburgh needs Griffin in the majors to break the cycle.
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