MILWAUKEE -- Konnor Griffin just received the best birthday present of his life.
The now 20-year-old gifted himself his first Major League home run -- in his 20th career game -- when he clobbered a middle-middle fastball a Statcast-projected 386 feet to the opposite field against Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers during a 6-0 win on Friday night at American Family Field.
There was no birthday party, though, as the Pirates’ dugout gave Griffin the silent treatment when he returned. That didn’t stop Griffin: He did it all himself again to make the most of his day -- putting on the welding mask Pittsburgh uses as its home run celebration and high-fiving the air as he walked down the dugout.
Griffin is just the fourth player to hit a homer on his birthday at age 20 or younger, joining Aramis Ramirez (1998), Buddy Lewis (1936) and Fred Carroll (1884). He's the eighth player in the Wild Card era (since 1994) to hit his first career home run on his birthday, the 25th player overall to do so and the youngest.
Konnor Griffin coverage:
• Griffin, Pirates agree on record 9-year extension
• Griffin rips RBI double in 1st career plate appearance
• Complete scouting report | What to expect
• Everything to know about Griffin | By the numbers
• How does Griffin stack up to all-time great prospects?
• Griffin's unique connection to Hall of Famer Mazeroski
• Best No. 1 prospects in MLB ranked
• Most anticipated debuts in baseball history
Griffin is no longer a teenager, and the No. 1 prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline wasted no time showing off that maturity. He followed his first big league deep fly with a second opposite-field hit, this time a single to the right side, before promptly stealing second base.
Then, to put icing on his own cake, Griffin smashed a two-run single to center field in the eighth inning to notch his first career three-hit and three-RBI game.
Griffin’s homer was a moment both he and the Pirates had been waiting for since his electric debut on April 3 that included an RBI double. Griffin, who was signed to a nine-year extension on April 8, has struggled since, though, batting just .182 with eight RBIs entering Friday.
The right-handed-hitting shortstop crushed 21 homers in 122 games across three Minor League levels last season, and Friday’s blast was the first of many that the Pirates can expect from their up-and-coming star.
And they will need it, as the Pirates (15-11) look to prove they’re a real threat in the NL Central as the season’s first month winds down. Friday night’s game was the first of 10 straight Pittsburgh has against division opponents, and the Pirates will need as many games like this that Griffin can provide to stay towards the top of the standings.