The Pirates have discussed a possible long-term extension with Konnor Griffin, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect, a source told MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo.
The source told Mayo that the details “have yet to be hammered out, but the talk has been around a deal for as long as nine years and north of $100 million.”
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Griffin, just 19 years old, is currently vying for a spot on Pittsburgh’s Opening Day roster as the team’s starting shortstop. If he starts Opening Day, he would be the first teenager to make his MLB debut on Opening Day since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989.
“I’m excited to have him help us win a lot of games in Pittsburgh this year,” Pirates ace Paul Skenes said of Griffin earlier this spring.
The Pirates initially selected Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 Draft. Last year, amid a meteoric rise through the Minor Leagues, Griffin slashed .333/.415/.527 with 21 homers and 65 stolen bases across three levels, finishing the year at Double-A Altoona. He recorded just the fifth 20-60 season in Minor League history.
Should Griffin and the Pirates reach a deal, it would be rare, but not unprecedented. Seven players have signed a contract extension before their big league debut. The Tigers’ Colt Keith was the last player to sign a contract extension with zero days of service time, in January 2024. Recently, the Orioles’ Samuel Basallo (five days of service time) and Kristian Campbell of the Red Sox (six days) signed extensions shortly after making their respective MLB debuts.