Konnor Griffin, the 2024 MaxPreps National Player of the Year while at
Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.), will make his MLB debut today after being called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Griffin is slotted into the No. 7 spot in the batting order for the home opener against the Orioles.
In five Triple-A games this season, Griffin hit .438. He made his professional debut in 2025 and hit .333 with 65 stolen bases across three minor league levels.
Griffin was the first high school player picked in the 2024 MLB Draft and the ninth player selected overall.
Pittsburgh rookie Konnor Griffin had a career .526 batting average with 23 home runs at Jackson Prep from 2021-24. (PHOTO: Brad Bridges)
In his final high school season, Griffin led the Patriots to a state championship and No. 7 national ranking by MaxPreps.
While he will make his debut as a shortstop today, Griffin also pitched at Jackson Prep. During his senior year he went 10-0 with 107 strikeouts and a 0.72 ERA. He also batted .559 with nine home runs while leading the nation with 76 runs and 85 stolen bases.
Griffin agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract this week that will pay him an average of $96,000 a game. It's the largest contract ever given to a player with no MLB experience.
He is also the first teenage position player to be called up since Washington brought up Juan Soto in 2019. Soto won a ring as a rookie while hitting three home runs in the 2019 World Series. The last time the Pirates called up a teenager was Aramis Ramirez in 1998.
The Pirates have drafted in the top 10 six times since 2020. In addition to Griffin, those picks also yielded
Paul Skenes, who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2025.
