The Pittsburgh Pirates have reassigned 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin to Minor League camp following their 8-3 victory over the Blue Jays. Manager Don Kelly emphasized that the move prioritizes Griffin's long-term development despite his impressive spring performance. Griffin hit .171 with four home runs in 16 Grapefruit League games.
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Konnor Griffin impressed during Pittsburgh Pirates' spring training with his tools, maturity, and power, including three home runs in his first six Grapefruit League contests and tying for the team lead with four home runs and nine RBIs overall. However, over his final 10 games, he batted .148 (4-for-27) with one home run, two walks, and 11 strikeouts, finishing the spring at .171 with a .749 OPS in 16 games and 41 at-bats, which included a double and nine RBIs according to some reports. Pirates manager Don Kelly announced the reassignment to Minor League camp after Saturday's game at LECOM Park, stating, “Absolutely nothing he did wrong. You see a young kid who was maybe pressing just a little bit and trying really hard. Konnor Griffin the person is elite. Allowing him to go and get back to basics and being Konnor Griffin out there. We know there’s an elite talent level that comes with him. Just looking forward to him being in Pittsburgh whenever that time comes.” Kelly described the decision as “extremely difficult,” noting Griffin's performance as a 19-year-old shortstop in big league camp for the first time, with the third-most at-bats among participants. The Pirates, who selected Griffin ninth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, prioritize his development; he has only 98 plate appearances at Double-A and none at Triple-A. In 122 minor-league games last season, Griffin hit .333/.415/.527 with 23 doubles, four triples, 21 homers, 94 RBIs, 117 runs, and 65 stolen bases. The move leaves the Pirates' 40-man roster with infield options including Jared Triolo (.270 spring), Nick Gonzales (.357 spring), and Nick Yorke (.250 spring). Other transactions included optioning Jhostynxon Garcia and Tyler Callihan to Triple-A Indianapolis. Garcia hit .405 this spring but needs regular outfield playing time.
