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Konnor Griffin gets Pirates on the board with first MLB hit
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- Konnor Griffin gets Pirates on the board with first MLB hit
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Konnor Griffin arrived in PNC Park for his MLB debut as the sport's top-ranked prospect and the highest-paid player in Pittsburgh Pirates history, so expectations are understandably high. There are certain individuals who are essentially guaranteed stardom, and the 19-year-old shortstop is considered to be one of them. But baseball devours supposed phenoms all the time. Griffin will not be gifted a successful career. He will have to earn it. Well, the $140-million-dollar man is off to a nice start.
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Griffin recorded his first career big-league hit in his first at-bat during Friday's home opener against the Baltimore Orioles , and it came in a big spot. The No. 9 overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft hammered an RBI double in the gap in left center field during the second inning. His milestone moment jump-started a Buccos scoring spree, as right-handed starting pitcher Kyle Bradish landed in a heaping pile of trouble in the Steel City.
Many fans wanted Griffin on the Opening Day roster, but the Pirates sent him to the minors after he struggled with plate discipline in spring training. The organization did not wait long to give him a chance in The Show, however. Pittsburgh called up the teenager for the Orioles series and inked him to a landmark contract extension, following a trend that other small-market teams have utilized over the years.
Although he struck out 13 times and hit just .173 in 16 exhibition games, Griffin displayed eye-popping power. He definitely made good contact in his first MLB plate appearance. With generational talent Paul Skenes likely to wind up elsewhere sometime before 2030, the Pirates are depending on their new rookie sensation to elevate the club for the next nine years.
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He does not appear to be feeling much pressure right now. Pittsburgh is reveling in the Konnor Griffin era.
Related: Pirates' Konnor Griffin has perfect reaction to fantastic MLB debut
