'That's what they look like': No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin impresses in Double-A debut

ALTOONA — As first impressions go, Konnor Griffin made an outsized one even before his Double-A debut. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound shortstop/center fielder with a physical presence and five-tool talent carries himself with the quiet confidence of someone who knows the major leagues are in his future.

“That’s what they look like,” Curve manager Andy Fox said. “You see the skill set and that’s what they look like. Now it’s just a matter of logging games and going through the process of becoming a big leaguer.”

Forgive Griffin for looking like a man among boys when it’s actually the other way around. At 19 years, three months and 26 days, he became the youngest player in Altoona Curve history Tuesday night when he started against the Reading Fightin Phils. The only previous Pirates to arrive here as teenagers were Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata, and neither had the physical prowess that Griffin possesses at that age.

“He has the physical features already, at the age of 19. That’s just something you don’t see. You don’t see somebody that young have the size that he has already physically,” said McCutchen, who was 19 years, 10 months and five days when he made his Curve debut in August 2006. “He’s going to develop and grow and get stronger. With that comes more power. The sense of the game will get there, too. He seems well-polished and is a quick learner. You don’t want to rush that. I’m just happy with where he’s at right now. I don’t want to focus on what’s next for him. What’s next for him is right now.”

Since being selected ninth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Griffin has dominated at both Low-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro. He batted a combined .332/.414/.524 with 21 doubles, four triples, 16 home runs, 72 RBIs, 97 runs scored and 59 stolen bases in 101 games, prompting a promotion to Altoona with the Curve in the Eastern League playoff hunt. Curve manager Andy Fox took one look at Griffin and told him to do his thing.

“It’s impressive,” Fox said. “It’s just like popcorn. People pop at different times. He’s just an early popper.”

Griffin has had the baseball world grabbing popcorn to eagerly watch how he’s rocketed to the No. 1 ranking among all prospects by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. Perhaps most impressive is how Griffin has handled the attention by “being the same person every day, showing up and putting in the work (and) just enjoying the journey.”

Konnor Griffin on becoming baseball’s No. 1 prospect, personal growth and staying at shortstop before his Double-A debut. The 19-year-old is the youngest player in Altoona Curve history. pic.twitter.com/vrs1doeERN

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) August 19, 2025

“It was cool. It just shows the hard work and success that I’ve had, but that can change tomorrow,” Griffin said of the No. 1 status. “I just try to be who I am. I’m not trying to play the games for the rankings. I’m just trying to play to grow as a player and help my team win games. All that stuff that comes with it is awesome, but I try not to focus on it too much.”

Bench coach Gary Green was impressed when Griffin picked McCutchen’s mind about his approach during spring training, two months before his 19th birthday: “A kid who’s 18 years old asking a Hall of Famer about approach — you just don’t see that. He’s a little ahead of his time.”

As a 6-4 middle infielder who was a second-round pick by the New York Yankees and played 776 games over nine major league seasons, Fox can relate to some degree the challenges Griffin faces as a natural center fielder who will play primarily at shortstop with the Curve. Fox believes Griffin’s ability to soak up advice from major leaguers like a sponge and apply them to his game has been beneficial.

“It’s a huge thing. The application of things on the fly is the biggest thing that helps you get moving faster. Having the ability to do that and not for it to become overwhelming, that’s probably why he’s here right now,” Fox said. “He’s been able to apply things that he’s learned from spring training on. He’s gone through the checks and balances of getting here. Now it’s just continuing to grow.”

Griffin showed that there’s room for growth, even though he handled his first ground ball like a gunslinger pulling his six-shooter out of its holster and firing a bullet to first to get Reading’s Jose Rodriguez for the final out of the first frame. In his first at-bat, Griffin worked a 3-0 count against 26-year-old right-hander Griff McGarry before taking a called strike down the middle. McGarry’s next pitch was low and away, and when Griffin took a step towards first base, home plate umpire Nobu Yasuta rung him up for another called strike.

With a full count, Griffin stroked a broken-bat single to shallow left-center. And that’s when the fun began. Beforehand, Griffin said he started to notice his explosiveness before his senior season at Jackson (Miss.) Prep, where he was the Gatorade national player of the year.

“I started to steal as many bags as I could in high school, and it’s kind of translated over to pro ball,” Griffin said. “I try to be aggressive. I try to get on base and get going.”

That was evident immediately, as Griffin took a two-step lead off first base, dropped into a crouch with his hands hanging below his waist. When he broke for second on a 1-0 pitch to Termarr Johnson, 27-year-old catcher Paul McIntosh took exception. But his throw to second base was misplayed by 21-year-old shortstop Aiden Miller, and Griffin didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the error with a head-first slide into third.

“I think sometimes that’s the worst thing, when a catcher knows he’s going to run and still can’t prevent it,” Fox said. “He’s such an explosive athlete. His technique’s really good. That’s why he has success.”

Griffin ran into trouble when he ran on contact on Johnson’s grounder to first. Reading 24-year-old first baseman Zach Arnold threw home to McIntosh, who tagged a sliding Griffin out at the plate.

In the third inning, Griffin went down swinging at a full-count breaking ball. When Griffin came to bat in the fourth, the bases were loaded with one out. Reading brought in 25-year-old righty Andrew Baker, who got ahead in the count and induced Griffin to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. In the sixth, Griffin recorded his first Double-A RBI with a sacrifice fly to right field off 23-year-old righty Eiberson Castellano that scored Sammy Siani to tie it at 5-5. In the eighth, 25-year-old righty Tommy McCallum got Griffin swinging at a slider for a strikeout.

“Even his at-bats, he struck out but still he looked like he’s been here all year,” Fox said. “The poise in the box and the calmness, that’s why he is here.”

Konnor Griffin discusses his debut for Double-A Altoona after going 1 for 4 with a single, sacrifice fly and two strikeouts in the Curve’s 6-5 win over Reading. pic.twitter.com/eNsdDeQlbB

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) August 20, 2025

As much as Pirates manager Don Kelly is amazed by Griffin’s talent level, he warned that it’s necessary to “temper the expectations” as Griffin ascends to a higher level and better competition in the minors.

“The package is real and how he goes about competing and playing, and really the reports we got about how he makes everyone around him better, as well,” Kelly said. “You want to keep pushing him and see that growth, but also understand the path is not always linear. There could be some bumps in the road and just trusting him that he’s going to work through that the way that he does and continue to compete through that and continue to get better every single day.”

All Griffin cared about is that the Curve pulled off a 6-5 win. As his teammates celebrated with music in the clubhouse and fireworks popped off outside as background noise, Griffin said his first taste of Double-A was “different” but playing against more experienced competition only left him wanting more.

“A lot of older guys, but that’s part of it,” Griffin said, with a grin. “I’m going to be playing with older guys the rest of my career, so just going to get used to it and try and be a kid out there.”