There were a lot of interesting names to watch at spring training this season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But no name has attracted more attention than Konnor Griffin.

The ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and the consensus top prospect in baseball, Griffin was riding a 2025 season that saw him transcend three levels of minor league baseball and garner talks of a possible long-term extension before he ever stepped on a major league field.

Griffin was a non-roster invitee to spring training in Bradenton this season, with many Pirate fans hoping to see him win a spot on the roster before the team travels to New York for their first game of the season against the Mets.

He didn’t look bad by any means. He made some spectacular plays from his shortstop position, showcasing that cannon of an arm he has. But if we’re being honest, Griffin didn’t exactly light up spring training from the plate.

In 16 Grapefruit League games, Griffin slashed .171/.261/.488 (.749 OPS), with four home runs, nine RBI, and a stolen base. He had his flashes, like when he smacked two homers in the same game against Boston in his third game of the preseason.

But he just wasn’t consistent enough in his offensive performance.

Just for reference, Griffin actually batted 11 points higher during a mini appearance in spring training last season, and matched this season’s stolen base total in significantly less time.

One of the concerning aspects surrounding his spring training campaign is the strikeouts. Griffin struck out 13 times in 46 plate appearances (28.2%), including twice in his final game with the Pirates before Opening Day.

Now, I would chalk some of those extra Ks to him feeling a need to power his way onto the roster. It’s easy to see how an extra eager Griffin could chase more pitches and swing for the fences each time, trying to force himself into a major league job coming out of camp.

It’s not a source of major concern moving forward. During his ascension through the minor leagues last season, Griffin struck out 21.6% of the time in between 122 games at Low-A, High-A, and Double-A.

His highest rate last season came during a 21-game run in Altoona, where he was K’d 23.4% of the time. I would imagine once he has more time to settle into the season, his strikeout rates will look closer to those figures.

However, even with understanding those numbers are probably inflated, it probably played a role in his demotion to open the year.

There’s going to be cynicism over the team potentially manipulating service time, and skepticism over who the Pirates can play at short instead of Griffin.

But truthfully, I’m ok with him starting the season in Triple-A.

The odds were always against Griffin during this year in Grapefruit League play. Flying down to Bradenton this February, the 19-year-old was trying to become:

• the first teenaged MLB player since Juan Soto in 2018
• youngest to play on Opening Day since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989
• the first teenager to make his MLB debut on Opening Day since Griffey in 1989

Competing in MLB as a teenager is hard enough; making a lineup out of camp is nearly impossible. He didn’t even do anything necessarily wrong, it’s just so much to adapt to at such a young age.

Manager Don Kelly shared that sentiment in speaking with the media following the decision.

“Absolutely nothing he did wrong,” Kelly said, via the team’s website. “You see a young kid who was maybe pressing just a little bit and trying really hard. Konnor Griffin the person is elite. Allowing him to go and get back to basics and being Konnor Griffin out there.”

Griffin starting the year in Triple-A is alright. Remember, he didn’t even make a stop in Indianapolis last season. Not only was Griffin trying to make an Opening Day roster as a teenager, he was trying to do that without ever taking a single rep at Triple-A.

Even if he isn’t in Indianapolis for all that long, going through the progression of playing in baseball’s top minor league rung will help him in the long-term.

The last thing you want to do is start him in Pittsburgh, and be forced to option him back to Triple-A if he struggles early. If he couldn’t acclimate to big league pitching right away, Griffin might have to go down to Indianapolis and try to adjust on the fly.

Then you might have a Jackson Holliday situation, where a top prospect doesn’t have nearly as productive or active of a season for your major league club as fans would have hoped in his first year.

By starting him in Triple-A, Griffin can get some time to work on the bat in a lower-pressure situation at Victory Field, and come into a major league gig feeling confident.

Personally, I would feel more confident having Griffin come up in, say, May after a really strong month in Triple-A than I would starting Griffin now after a semi-cold spring.

I know that the Pirates will now have to hope that someone like Nick Gonzales can man the shortstop position well, and improve both offensively and defensively with added responsibility. And I know that fans are disappointed to know Griffin will not take the field on Opening Day, I am too.

But I do think that, long term, this is ultimately the best decision for everyone involved. Besides, he’s only one phone call away from Pittsburgh.