Konnor Griffin

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #1 prospect in 2026
  BA Grade/Risk: 75/Average
  
  Adjusted Grade: 65
  
  Track Record: Griffin was the most decorated high school player in the 2024 draft, winning High School Player of the Year after a senior spring in Mississippi in which he hit .559 and stole 85 bases. The Pirates drafted him ninth overall that July and signed him for $6,532,025, but even they couldn’t have anticipated how quickly he’d emerge as the No. 1 overall prospect and the 2025 Minor League Player of the Year. The 19-year-old hit .333/.415/.527 with 21 homers and 65 steals across 122 games, beginning the year with Low-A Bradenton and finishing in Double-A Altoona. Griffin became the first-ever drafted teenager to hit at least 20 homers and steal at least 40 bases, joining only Andruw Jones, Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio and Alex Escobar.
  
  Scouting Report: At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Griffin’s size and speed combination is reminiscent of an NFL strong safety, and he uses his exceptional physical tools to impact every facet of the game. He produces some of the highest exit velocities of any teenager in the sport and does damage to all fields. He’s also a plus-plus runner once underway. For all his athleticism, Griffin entered pro ball facing significant concern about whether his swing and feel for contact would hold up against more advanced pitchers. He took a decisive first step in answering those questions in 2025. Griffin retooled his swing over the offseason to clean up his arm bar and add more depth, and he kept his strikeout rate under 22% and contact rate above 75% despite scaling three levels in his first pro season. He also handled premium velocity well. Griffin still has areas to refine—especially against spin—and he’s still learning to pull the ball in the air consistently, but there’s far more confidence now that he has a shot to develop into at least an above-average hitter. Evaluators are also more bullish that Griffin can stay at shortstop, where his range, instincts and plus-plus arm graded out favorably in 2025 while making just seven errors all season. Griffin cleaned up his footwork as the season progressed and plays with a calm internal clock. He spent the bulk of his defensive time at shortstop, though he also played 15 games in center field. Unsurprisingly given his skills, Griffin’s capable of covering large swaths of ground in the outfield, and he’s one of the rare players who could conceivably develop into a plus defender at two premium positions. Coaches and evaluators alike also rave about his aptitude and leadership qualities.
  
  The Future: Griffin’s ascension in 2025 is a franchise-altering development for an organization that has struggled to produce quality big league hitters since Andrew McCutchen and needs to find a running mate to pair with Paul Skenes. Even if Griffin’s pure hitting ability gets tested, his power, speed and defense give him multiple paths to provide star-level value while having the upside of an MVP-caliber shortstop. A big league debut in 2026 isn’t out of the question for Griffin, who doesn’t turn 20 until late April.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 70 | Run: 70 | Field: 60 | Arm: 70.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #9 prospect in 2024 draft
  School: Jackson Prep, Flowood, Miss. Commit/Drafted: LSU
  Age At Draft: 18.2
  BA Grade: 60/Extreme
  Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 60. Run: 70. Field: 60. Arm: 60. Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 40. Control: 50
  
  Griffin has a case as the toolsiest prospect in the 2024 class. He played varsity as an eighth grader and then reclassified following his sophomore year at Jackson Prep to become draft-eligible this year rather than 2025. A 6-foot-4, 210-pound dynamo, Griffin has excelled as a hitter and pitcher with a tremendous package of athleticism, physical upside, tools and track record of performance. He’s a bouncy athlete with plus-plus speed, raw power that should become plus and plus arm strength that could also become a 70-grade tool in the future. Griffin’s swing can get long at times, and he was just solid on the showcase circuit in 2023 before lighting up his Mississippi prep competition this spring to win High School Player of the Year. A former three-sport star, Griffin dropped football and basketball in recent years. He amped up his baserunning aggressiveness after training for baseball only and stole 85 bases this year. Where Griffin’s hit tool falls is the biggest question and will determine whether he becomes a superstar with consistent all-star upside or a player who struggles to actualize his enviable tools. Scouts praised his swing improvements in the spring. He has the tools and athleticism to stick at shortstop but could ultimately be too big for the position and fit better in center field, where he has plus defensive upside. Griffin can touch the mid 90s on the mound and has a real fallback option as a pitcher. He’s committed to LSU but should be one of the first two prep players drafted.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #1 prospect in 2025
• Ranked Baseball America's #74 prospect in 2024
• Ranked Baseball America's #1 prospect in 2024

• 2024 High School Top 100 Draft Prospects
  School: Jackson Prep, Flowood, Miss. Committed: LSU
  Age At Draft: 18.2
  As a freshman in 2022, Griffin led his high school team to a state title. After the season ended, Griffin announced that he was reclassifying from the 2025 to the 2024 class, making him the No. 1 high school player for 2024. Griffin excels both as a position player (at shortstop and center field) as well as on the mound, with an electric package of athleticism, physical upside, tools and ability to hit in games. He has a long, strong and high-waist frame with broad shoulders and more space to continue adding strength. Even as one of the younger 2024 players, his tools stack up among the best in the class. He’s a bouncy athlete with plus-plus speed and a plus arm that could tick up to become a 70 tool. At the plate, Griffin sets up with his hands crunched behind his head, then is able to fire them through the zone with some of the best bat speed in the country. He makes hard contact that shows up as home run power in games, with raw power that should be at least plus once he fills out. Griffin’s offensive approach is advanced for his age as well, leading to high contact rates and typically strong game performance, both in terms of getting on base and hitting for power, though he had just a lukewarm showing during the 2023 showcase period. Griffin is able to make athletic plays at shortstop with good body control for his size. With a chance for several tools that could be 60s or 70s down the road, Griffin is a standout position player, but he also has significant upside on the mound. He is already into the low 90s and has the physical projection to be throwing in the mid-to-upper 90s by draft time.