Konnor Griffin

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #2 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 60/Extreme.
  
  Track Record: In an otherwise down year for high school prospects, Griffin remained near the top of draft boards throughout the 2024 draft cycle. The Mississippi prep star hit .559/.690/.996 with nine home runs and 85 steals and was named BA High School Player of the Year. The Pirates drafted Griffin ninth overall and signed him to a $6,532,025 bonus, the largest of any prep player in the class. While Griffin did not get into any official games, he did appear in instructional league games later in the summer.
  
  Scouting Report: Most evaluators agree that Griffin is a tool shed. He has a freakish combination of size, strength and explosiveness. He’s a plus-plus runner once underway with plus raw power, and receives rave makeup reviews. Griffin also has a plus arm—some amateur scouts believed he had legitimate two-way potential—and touched mid-90s on the mound. There is far less consensus on whether Griffin can make enough contact to regularly dip into the rest of his tools. He improved this spring, but Griffin has faced questions about his bat path, stiffness and aggressive approach. The Pirates were encouraged by Griffin’s early contact quality in instructs and have started to work with Griffin on improving certain angles of his swing to induce better contact quality and stay behind the ball more consistently. Griffin’s defensive home remains an open-ended question, too. He played both shortstop and center field upon turning pro. He’ll likely get a chance to stick in the dirt, where he’s a solid defender, but his speed, instincts and throwing arm could be special in center field.
  
  The Future: Griffin’s ascension through the minors hinges on the development of his hit tool. If it clicks, he has all-star upside.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 60

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #9 prospect in 2024 draft
  School: Jackson Prep, Flowood, Miss. Commit/Drafted: LSU
  Age At Draft: 18.2
  BA Grade: 60/Extreme
  Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 60. Run: 70. Field: 60. Arm: 60. Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 40. Control: 50
  
  Griffin has a case as the toolsiest prospect in the 2024 class. He played varsity as an eighth grader and then reclassified following his sophomore year at Jackson Prep to become draft-eligible this year rather than 2025. A 6-foot-4, 210-pound dynamo, Griffin has excelled as a hitter and pitcher with a tremendous package of athleticism, physical upside, tools and track record of performance. He’s a bouncy athlete with plus-plus speed, raw power that should become plus and plus arm strength that could also become a 70-grade tool in the future. Griffin’s swing can get long at times, and he was just solid on the showcase circuit in 2023 before lighting up his Mississippi prep competition this spring to win High School Player of the Year. A former three-sport star, Griffin dropped football and basketball in recent years. He amped up his baserunning aggressiveness after training for baseball only and stole 85 bases this year. Where Griffin’s hit tool falls is the biggest question and will determine whether he becomes a superstar with consistent all-star upside or a player who struggles to actualize his enviable tools. Scouts praised his swing improvements in the spring. He has the tools and athleticism to stick at shortstop but could ultimately be too big for the position and fit better in center field, where he has plus defensive upside. Griffin can touch the mid 90s on the mound and has a real fallback option as a pitcher. He’s committed to LSU but should be one of the first two prep players drafted.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #74 prospect in 2024
• Ranked Baseball America's #1 prospect in 2024

• 2024 High School Top 100 Draft Prospects
  School: Jackson Prep, Flowood, Miss. Committed: LSU
  Age At Draft: 18.2
  As a freshman in 2022, Griffin led his high school team to a state title. After the season ended, Griffin announced that he was reclassifying from the 2025 to the 2024 class, making him the No. 1 high school player for 2024. Griffin excels both as a position player (at shortstop and center field) as well as on the mound, with an electric package of athleticism, physical upside, tools and ability to hit in games. He has a long, strong and high-waist frame with broad shoulders and more space to continue adding strength. Even as one of the younger 2024 players, his tools stack up among the best in the class. He’s a bouncy athlete with plus-plus speed and a plus arm that could tick up to become a 70 tool. At the plate, Griffin sets up with his hands crunched behind his head, then is able to fire them through the zone with some of the best bat speed in the country. He makes hard contact that shows up as home run power in games, with raw power that should be at least plus once he fills out. Griffin’s offensive approach is advanced for his age as well, leading to high contact rates and typically strong game performance, both in terms of getting on base and hitting for power, though he had just a lukewarm showing during the 2023 showcase period. Griffin is able to make athletic plays at shortstop with good body control for his size. With a chance for several tools that could be 60s or 70s down the road, Griffin is a standout position player, but he also has significant upside on the mound. He is already into the low 90s and has the physical projection to be throwing in the mid-to-upper 90s by draft time.