An award for the young slugger.
Konnor Griffin closed his historic Minor League Baseball season with significant recognition from one of the sport’s most glorified prospect evaluators.
On Monday, Baseball America named Griffin as its Minor League Player of the Year.
Griffin is the second Pirate to win the award, joining pitcher Mike Bielecki in 1984.
The No. 1 overall prospect in baseball put together one of the best seasons in Pirates history by a minor leaguer.
Griffin slashed .333/.415/.527 with a .941 OPS in 122 games between three levels. He began the year in Single-A Bradenton. In 50 games, Griffin hit .338 with nine home runs, 36 RBIs, and 26 steals in 207 total at-bats.
The Pirates promoted Griffin to High-A Greensboro this summer and once again drove in 36 runs in one additional contest (51). Pittsburgh moved Griffin up to Double-A Altoona before the start of September and continued his tear.
Griffin never skipped a beat and slashed .337/.418/.542 with the highest OPS (.961) of any level.
No matter what the Pirates and opponents threw at him, Griffin had the answers to every question.
In his first full season and only 19 years old, Griffin totaled 162 hits, 23 doubles, 21 home runs, 94 RBIs, scored 117 runs, and stole 65 bases.
Griffin torched the Erie SeaWolves in the Southwestern Division playoffs, earning six knocks in 10 at-bats, including a double.
He walked three times, stole a base, and drove in two during the three-game series that Altoona felt short in last week.
Drafted No. 9 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft and not playing a MiLB game in the few months following, Griffin set the baseball world on fire with his unique skill set. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound athlete has bounced between shortstop and center field.
MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo told me earlier this year that there were questions surrounding Griffin’s swing and if he would stick at short.
Griffin has done everything he can to silence the doubters and skyrocketed to the top of Baseball America and MLB Pipeline’s prospect rankings this summer to become baseball’s No. 1 prospect.
There is hope that Griffin can be a significant answer to the Pirates’ offensive struggles, teamed with external additions to the lineup in left field and third.
Griffin is the 10th player in Curve history to play for the team while ranked as the top prospect in the sport.
The Pirates close the 2025 season this week, and all eyes shift to 2026 spring training, where Griffin will be a call or two away from Pittsburgh. He turns 20 on April 24 and would be one of the youngest players in Pirates history.
Griffin is the light at the end of the tunnel of Ben Cherington’s failure to acquire and develop offense throughout his six seasons, and should continue his fast track to Pittsburgh. The only question that remains: When will we see Griffin in the black and gold at PNC Park?
Category: General Sports
