Opinion: When is it time to call up Konnor Griffin?

The MLB regular season is finally here, as all teams are getting set to begin their 162-game quest.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the more intriguing teams entering the 2026 campaign. Alongside the factory of pitching talent, there is a notable hitting prospect who has opened the eyes of many around the league.

Konnor Griffin, ranked as MLB’s No. 1 prospect, will begin the season in Triple-A Indianapolis. While it may have shocked some people, it makes sense to let the rising star take some time to figure it out.

Let’s take a look at last season, where we saw the rise of Griffin’s hitting ability. Across all games in Double-A and Single-A ball, he slashed a whopping .333 batting average with a .942 OPS. He finished with 21 home runs and 94 runs driven in.

It’s safe to say he was the best player in the minor leagues last year. It’s also rare to see a player improve his stats while rising through the organization.

His play last year earned him a chance to compete for the major league roster this Spring, and he showed off his power right out of the gates.

Despite that, the shortstop hit just .171 in Spring Training with four home runs to go with it. Other than those four dingers, he didn’t do much else at the plate.

It was clear Griffin was not quite ready to face major league pitching, as he struggled to catch up to high-speed fastballs. That’s why the Pirates decided to send down Griffin. While it sent many Bucco fans into questioning, I believe there’s no need to panic.

First of all, he is still just 19 years old and has yet to have an at-bat for the Indianapolis Indians. Giving him at-bats at the highest level of the minor league system will help him adjust his timing.

Second, the Pirates did the same thing with Paul Skenes back in 2024. They sent him down to Triple-A, pitched a 0.99 ERA, and then got called up in mid-May. The rest is history.

The same thing could happen with Griffin. If he settles in after a month or so, don’t be surprised to see Ben Cherington pull the trigger on the young star.

It’s looking highly likely that the scenario will happen in some way, shape, or form. Pittsburgh decided to play it safe and roll out utility player Jared Triolo to man shortstop to begin the year.

While Triolo has proven to be a stud with the glove, he hasn’t been a league-average hitter and is projected to have a 94 wRC+, six percent below league average.

Pittsburgh should not give Triolo a long leash, especially having him play nearly every day for the past two seasons, and not having much to show for it. He’s hit .221 the last two years. A late-season surge in 2025 is the only reason why I think he’s still in the starting lineup.

Fielding doesn’t mean much if you can’t hit consistently, and it would make a lot more sense to see Triolo in a bench role and give Griffin’s offensive upside a chance as the starting shortstop.

Either way, it makes sense Griffin got sent down. Even though he proved the power is there, he wasn’t able to find consistent hitting outside of the four home runs.

There’s no need to panic. Griffin is going to be a star, and it may only be a matter of weeks before the Pirates make their move to call up the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball.

Ben Barker is a third-year student studying broadcast journalism. To contact him, email bsb5566@psu.edu.