The legend of 19-year-old Mississippi baseball phenom Konnor Griffin continues to grow and grow with each home run blast, each stolen base, each fielding gem, each promotion. Who knows where he will be when he reaches the legal age of 21?
My guess would be Pittsburgh. And his Major League debut may come sooner than that.
Sunday afternoon, the Jackson Prep star, the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, was promoted by the Pittsburgh Pirates from high-Class A Greensboro, North Carolina, to Class AA Altoona, Pennsylvania. On Tuesday night, he will be youngest player ever to play for the Altoona Curve in the Eastern League. He doesn’t turn 20 until April 24, 2026.
“It’s a pretty awesome feeling,” Griffin said in a phone call Monday morning while en route from Greensboro to Altoona, a six-hour drive. “I got the news after the game Sunday when they called a team meeting and the manager told us.”
Making the news all the more exciting for Griffin was the promotion of of one of his best friends, catcher Derek Berg, from Greensboro to Altoona. The 23-year-old Bird is on a much more traditional baseball career path, having played college baseball (at Army) for four seasons before being drafted in the 10th round of the 2024 Major League draft. In contrast, Griffin was playing for Jackson Prep in May, 2024.
“Derek’s a good friend. We were taken in the same draft together and have been together at Bradenton (low Class A) and Greensboro,” Griffin said. “It’s really neat we are taking this next step together.”
Even though the Pirates drafted Griffin with the ninth overall pick (first high school player chosen) of the 2024 draft, his rapid rise this spring and summer has been nothing short of astonishing, as have his statistics. In 50 games at Bradenton, he hit .338 with plenty of power. In 51 games at Greensboro, he hit .325. Combined, he has hit 16 home runs, 21 doubles and four triples. In the process, he has become a more disciplined hitter. His on-base percentage rose from .396 at low-A to .434 at high-A.
Add to all that Griffin’s combined 59 stolen bases and far above average fielding ability at both shortstop and centerfielder positions. Little wonder the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder last month was named the top MLB prospect in all of baseball.
“It’s been a heckuva year; the hard work is paying off,” Griffin said.
Has his meteoric rise affected his timeline for making to the Major Leagues?
“I am just trying to live in the moment, not think about all that,” Griffin said. “My goal is to remain humble and continue the hard work that has gotten me to where I am. I just thank God for where he has taken me.”
The last Pittsburgh Pirate to make it to the Class AA level at 19 is Andrew McCutchen, who has since become a five-time All-Star and the National League MVP. In 2013, McCutchen, the 11th pick of the 2005 draft, made it to Altoona in 2006 at 19. He did not make his Big League debut until 2009 at age 22. He has since hit 330 home runs.
Griffin would appear to be advancing at faster rate. Nothing has seemed to faze him, including his ascension to No. 1 MLB prospect not quite a month ago. Even his father, Belhaven softball coach Kevin Griffin, expressed concern at the time that the No. 1 prospect designation would heap more pressure on his son, who only last year was playing high school baseball.
“I have tried not to let it add pressure, but there’s no doubt you have more eyes on you with something like that,” Konnor Griffin said. “I try to take it one step at a time, continue to work hard and give it everything I have.”
Altoona has an off day today before playing a home game Tuesday night against the Reading (Pennsylvania) Fighting Phils.
Griffin expects to remain primarily a shortstop, but also play centerfield on occasion. He was to learn more later Monday upon arrival in Altoona where he will meet with Curve manager Andy Fox, a former Major Leaguer who played for two World Series championship teams.
Said Griffin, who remains as grounded and mature as any 19-year-old I’ve encountered, “I just see it as another challenge and another chance to learn. I can’t wait.”
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Following Konnor Griffin:
• At Jackson Prep in February of 2024.
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