Bucs' shortstop of the future? Griffin evolving with glove

This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf’s Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

When the Pirates selected Konnor Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 Draft, there was no question that he was one of the most athletic players in his class. There was skepticism, however, that he could stick at shortstop.

His 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame is closer to an NFL tight end than a Major League middle infielder, but the explosiveness gave him a shot to play on the dirt. Griffin wanted to prove he could play the infield and worked this winter to take advantage of the opportunity. But the real test would be in Spring Training, when he worked with then infield coordinator Chris Truby every day.

“He believed in me, that I could be a shortstop full time,” Griffin said over Zoom. “Once I started believing in myself, that I really could do it at the pro level, things kind of took off.”

Griffin’s rise as a hitter, a baserunner and as a prospect overall has been apparent this year, as he ascended to the top of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list. His glove work has also taken a step forward, as he was named the Pirates’ Bill Mazeroski Defender of the Year and won a Minor League Gold Glove at shortstop.

Griffin did split time between shortstop and center field, but he spent more time at the former as the season progressed. He ended up playing 89 games in the infield, where he made only seven errors. To truly see his growth, though, you need to look beyond the box scores.

During Griffin's time with Single-A Bradenton early in the season, the Pirates sent infield coach Mendy López down to Florida to work with him on balls in the hole. Most shortstops will tell you that it’s usually best to try to field that ball a little deeper, giving themselves more time to get to a good spot and set their footing before a throw. You don’t always get that luxury, though, and there are times where you have to charge a ball in the hole, creating an awkward attack angle.

On this day in the first weeks of the season, López drilled this play with Griffin, wanting to challenge the teenager. During the game that day, a batter hit a roller into the hole, the exact type of play Griffin had been practicing. He fielded it cleanly and made the throw to first, robbing the batter of an infield hit.

“If he wasn’t good at something, he would practice it until he became good at it,” Marauders manager Jim Horner said in August. “That was evident at shortstop. Not necessarily new to him, but just the nuances of playing shortstop at a professional level and playing center. He was very open to information, and he would apply the information immediately. It just means he’s a phenomenal athlete.”

High-A Greensboro manager Blake Butler had a similar story in terms of theme, but the opposite result. In one of Griffin’s first games after his promotion, he was picked off second base at a crucial moment. That could shake a young player, and Butler wanted to see how he would respond to a tough lesson.

His response? “He was gonna continue to play with his hair on fire,” Butler said.

“I think he’s somebody who’s unafraid of the truth, unafraid to make a mistake, but is always gonna learn from the truth, is always gonna learn from those mistakes,” Butler said over Zoom.

It’s moments like those that helped Griffin grow as a player, especially in the field. That’s pretty important considering the Pirates have a glaring need at shortstop. Griffin’s focus is on the offseason, but he did admit that Pittsburgh is on his 2026 radar.

Before that happens, though, he knows he has to continue to grow.

“I always want to win, I always want to get better,” Griffin said. “Getting drafted with the Pirates gave me a great opportunity to start my pro career, and I knew coming into it, it was going to need some work. I knew I have so much growth in me, and I’m just going to continue to put my head down and work.

“I’m not anywhere close to being what I think I can be, but it’s just part of the journey. I’m going to continue to grow every day and just be present.”