Should Konnor Griffin Be the Pirates Opening Day Shortstop In 2026?
p/c: Harrison Barden
Earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Pirates secured their seventh straight losing season; sixth under general manager Ben Cherington.
Heading into the offseason, there will be plenty of questions on how to substantially improve the offense. Does that mean actually spending money to bring in quality veteran bats, trading Mitch Keller for offensive pieces, or both?
Currently, the Pirates have the worst team OPS in MLB at .655. Bryan Reynolds has been inconsistent for much of the year, while Oneil Cruz, who had a solid, first half, has hit only four home runs since July 1st.
Down on the Pirates’ farm, Konnor Griffin has been the talk of the minor league baseball scene. Selected by Pittsburgh ninth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Griffin’s first season of professional ball this year is simply incredible.
Playing across three levels, with Low A Bradenton, High A Greensboro, and AA Altoona, Griffin has combined to slash .333/.416/.531, along with 21 homers, 94 RBI, and a whopping, 65 stolen bases.
During All-Star Weekend in Atlanta, Griffin represented the Pirates in the 2025 Futures Game.
The all-around talents of Griffin have been so undeniable that in just one year into his pro career, he’s the #1 prospect in the minors, according to both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline.
For most of this season, Isiah Kiner-Falefa had been the Pirates primary shortstop. He underperformed offensively; posting a .632 OPS in 428 plate appearances. IKF is now with the Toronto Blue Jays - the team who dealt him to Pittsburgh at last year’s trade deadline.
Jared Triolo is being tasked with the shortstop duties for the Pirates. Objectively, Triolo has hit well since early August, to go along with his steady defense.
Given the team’s several holes to fill on the offensive front, would the organization actually entertain the idea of having Griffin compete for a spot on the 2026 Opening Day roster?
On the surface, it seems like a lot, to put on the plate of a 19-year-old, but at the same time, Griffin is arguably the most elite shortstop in all of MiLB right now.
Whether Super 2 factors into such a decision, it’s more likely the Pirates want Griffin to continue his development by starting out at AAA Indianapolis next season, and possibly have Triolo as the placeholder at shortstop until Griffin’s eventual arrival to the bigs.
However, there’s the other side of it - should Griffin have a strong and mature approach at the plate, and is able to check boxes in spring training, such as terrific, base running and reliable defense, then perhaps it’s a situation, in which Griffin forces management’s hand to put him at short on Opening Day.