Reaching the Majors at a young age is a particularly notable achievement on its own. Doing so and earning a chance to hit leadoff is even more impressive. Fewer than 25 players in the Wild Card era have hit leadoff in at least one game before turning 21.
The leadoff hitter gets the chance to set the tone. Just a handful of players have not just led off, but hit a leadoff homer at such a young age.
On June 26, 2026, the Pirates' Konnor Griffin hit a leadoff home run at just 20 years and 63 days old, becoming the fifth-youngest player in MLB history to hit a leadoff home run.
Here’s a look at the youngest players in MLB history to hit a leadoff home run.
Lou Klimchock, KCA: Sept. 28, 1958 — 18 years, 348 days
Klimchock is the youngest player to accomplish the feat, and he didn’t just become the only 18-year-old with a leadoff home run -- he did it in his second career game. After going 0-for-5 in his debut with a run scored after reaching on a forceout, Klimchock came to the park the next day and hit a leadoff homer for his first MLB hit. What a start. Klimchock is one of 19 players since at least 1900 to lead off a game before turning 19, with the most recent being Robin Yount in 1974.
Bob Kennedy, CWS: May 1, 1940 — 19 years, 257 days
Kennedy's leadoff home run at just 19 years old was impressive in its own right, but get this: It was also his first career home run after going homerless in his first 13 career games. That's not all, though -- Kennedy's first career homer came against future Hall of Famer Lefty Grove. This was the 16th of 17 career seasons for Grove and while the 40-year-old was past his prime, he was still plenty effective in 1940, posting a 3.99 ERA across 22 outings. Not a bad first home run for Kennedy.
Mickey Mantle, NYY: Sept. 13, 1951 — 19 years, 328 days
Mantle was in the first year of an illustrious Hall of Fame career that included 536 home runs, three MVPs and 20 All-Star selections. Before he settled into a middle-of-the-order slugger, Mantle was primarily a leadoff hitter in his first season as a 19-year-old. Nine of his 13 homers as a rookie came as a leadoff hitter, but only this one came to lead off the game. Mantle's long ball came against Detroit's Virgil Trucks, who was in the middle of a strong 17-year career.
Sibby Sisti, BSN : July 16, 1940 — 19 years, 356 days
Sisti wasn't known as a power hitter -- he hit 27 home runs across parts of 13 seasons and topped out at six homers in 1940. One of those home runs in '40 included this leadoff home run against the Cardinals' Clyde Shoun. Also homering in this game for the Cardinals were future Hall of Famers Johhny Mize and Enos Slaughter.
Konnor Griffin, PIT: June 26, 2026 — 20 years, 63 days
After spending nearly a month on the injured list with a right forearm strain, Griffin returned for a Friday night game against the Reds and promptly crushed the second pitch he saw for a 435-foot home run. Doing so as a leadoff hitter, Griffin became the fifth-youngest player to hit a leadoff home run. This was only the beginning of Griffin's exciting rise to the Majors, as entered the season as MLB Pipeline's No. 1 prospect.
Jurickson Profar, TEX: May 26, 2013 — 20 years, 95 days
Profar debuted in 2012 as one of the most heralded prospects of his generation. Profar became something of a regular in 2013 at 20 years old, hitting six home runs across 85 games. His second career home run and his first of the 2013 season was this leadoff homer against Seattle's Hisashi Iwakuma.