Konnor Griffin Is 19 and Already the Pirates' Future, But Don't Expect a Deal Tomorrow

The Pittsburgh Pirates are feeling optimistic about locking up rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin to a long-term deal, but general manager Ben Cherington pumped the brakes hard on Tuesday. There are a lot of moving pieces that have to align before anything gets signed, and while some of them are already clicking into place, Cherington made it clear we're not at the finish line yet.

What It Takes to Make the Deal Happen

Cherington laid out the formula pretty straightforwardly. "I think about past experience with things like this, when they happen, it's usually some combination of the player being open and interested, the team having a high level of belief and conviction in the player, and then having organizational alignment around that," he said. "I do think some of those ingredients are in place with Konnor, and so that would give me a level of hope, potentially."

Translation: the Pirates believe in him. Konnor believes in the Pirates. The front office is locked in. But there's still work to do.

Who Is Griffin and Why Are They So Bullish on Him?

The 19-year-old was the ninth overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft. He made his big league debut last Friday against Baltimore and absolutely announced himself with an RBI double off the wall in center field on his first at-bat. He's still hunting for his second hit as of Tuesday night's game against San Diego, but the Pirates are very clearly not worried about the transition.

Griffin is 6-foot-3 and was among the final cuts at the end of spring training before getting the call a week into the season. At Triple-A Indianapolis, he crushed it with a .438 average. Defensively, he looks ready. And he's handling the pressure like a veteran.

Cherington summed it up like this: "Just what he brings energy-wise, attitude-wise, and as a teammate, that's going to be there every day. Ultimately, it just felt like he was going to make the team better."

Everyone Else Is Already Making Their Moves

The Pirates aren't the only organization looking to lock up young talent early. Seattle signed 20-year-old Colt Emerson to an eight-year contract last week before he even stepped foot in the majors. The Milwaukee Brewers did the same with 21-year-old shortstop Cooper Pratt. The message is clear: when you find a cornerstone, you keep him around.

Cherington has made it his mission since taking over in late 2019 to identify those franchise cornerstones and build around them. With Griffin, he's found another one. Now it's just a matter of when, not if, they get a deal done.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.