Konnor Griffin entered the 2026 season with one of the most anticipated pending debuts in Major League Baseball.
And on Friday, the young Pirate did not disappoint.
The highly touted prospect, who will be 19 for another three weeks, ripped an RBI double in his first MLB at-bat as part of a 5-4 win over the Orioles, elevating the Pirates’ record to 4-3.
“It was awesome,” Griffin said, per MLB.com. “Getting a win, as well, was the cherry on top. That was hands down one of the best days of my life.”
He became the first teenage position player in the majors since Juan Soto did so with the Nationals in 2018.
The RBI double was part of what became a game-deciding four-run second inning.
Griffin, who was drafted in the first round at No. 9 overall in 2024, finished the day with 1-for-3 with a walk at the plate while hitting seventh in the order.
“He just went right down and hit his stride and was able to reset in a couple of days,” manager Don Kelly told reporters after the win. “Which again, for anybody, is really impressive, especially for a 19-year-old kid whose hopes and dreams were to make the big leagues.”
Griffin slashed an incredible .438/.571/.625 line in just five games this season with the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis.
Additionally, across 122 games last year in the minors, Griffin hit .333, blasting 21 home runs with 94 RBIs and 65 stolen bases.
As a result of his production, he was later honored with Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year.
A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Griffin had originally committed to baseball powerhouse LSU, but ended up forgoing a career in the SEC to head straight to the pro ranks.
Griffin also earned a signing bonus of $6.53 million upon joining the Pirates organization following the 2024 Draft. He’s in the midst of finalizing a reported $140 million extension.
