Konnor Griffin indicators with Pirates
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The @Pirates have signed SS Konnor Griffin, their 1st-round choose within the 2024 First-12 months Participant Draft.
Congratulations, Konnor! 👏 pic.twitter.com/gWdwUcZ8HG
— Younger Bucs (@YoungBucsPIT) July 31, 2024
nnn”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”thumbnail_url”:null,”kind”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”wealthy”}, MIA ,{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”“The primary time we mentioned it, it was like, ‘Is that this even potential? Can we realistically do that as a college?’” Heavener mentioned. “As a result of there’s quite a lot of transferring components once you determine to leap a grade.”nnIt turned out it was, however it took quite a lot of transferring items. Griffin wanted to take two English courses one yr and two science courses one other. He took courses over the summer season, together with a world historical past course with Heavener.nnHe additionally gave up basketball, understanding extra time needed to be devoted to his education, baseball and the burden room if this was going to work. Proper now, it appears secure to say it paid off.nn“I wouldn’t be sitting right here if I didn’t reclass,” Griffin mentioned. “I believe it was good for me. … I believe it pushed me to play towards some more durable competitors. I used to be capable of face some adversity all through the summers, which was good. I didn’t need to go into professional ball, face my first cycle of adversity and never know what to do. I really feel like I’m ready now for no matter baseball throws at me.nn“Now I’m capable of be sitting right here with a Pirates jersey on. It labored out nice.””,”kind”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”OEmbed”,”html”:”
Welcome to the @Pirates, Konnor 👏 pic.twitter.com/5BzrJ7VG7D
— Younger Bucs (@YoungBucsPIT) July 31, 2024
nnn”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”thumbnail_url”:null,”kind”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”wealthy”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”As Griffin stuffed out his 6-foot-4, 215 lb. body, his instruments began to raise to the following degree. Probably the most pronounced is his pace — graded by MLB Pipeline as a 65 instrument — as evidenced by him steal 87 bases his senior yr on 89 tries. (And a kind of caught stealing’s was attempting to steal house because the catcher threw again to the pitcher.)nn“He runs like a dang deer,” Heavener mentioned. “That second step, he’s at max pace.”nnGriffin isn’t only a runner, although — he has the potential to be a real five-tool participant and stick at shortstop, although he may additionally transfer to the outfield and excel there down the highway.nn“He’s an unimaginable athlete, truthfully,” newbie scouting director Justin Horowitz mentioned the evening Griffin was drafted. “A possible five-tool celebrity on the highest degree, with among the greatest upside in the entire Draft.””,”kind”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2024-07-08T19:22:43.842Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2024/2024-07/14/a559a589-5dd11fe3-d9c140a2-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”kind”:”video”,”description”:”Get to know the latest Pittsburgh Pirates Draft choose Konnor Griffin as he solutions some speedy fireplace questions”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”length”:”00:00:30″,”slug”:”player-profile-konnor-griffin”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-804606″,”title”:”Konnor Griffin”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:804606″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”vod”,”title”:”vod”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-draft”,”title”:”MLB Draft”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-134″,”title”:”Pittsburgh Pirates”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:134″},”type”:”team”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/tmwz34b2amiiyfnj1pgn”},”title”:”Pirates Participant Profile: Konnor Griffin”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/player-profile-konnor-griffin”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”Now it’s time to see how these instruments translate to the professionals.nn“I’m able to push myself and simply see what challenges are going to be in retailer,” Griffin mentioned. “Able to assault these and simply develop as a participant. 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58 minutes in the past
Throughout one summer season evening in 2019, Brent Heavener and his spouse went to look at a summer season league sport after listening to Konnor Griffin was on the group. Heavener is the baseball coach at Jackson Prep in Mississippi, and Griffin was set to hitch the group.
It didn’t take lengthy for Heavener to search out Griffin: He was the child towering over everybody else, who went yard that evening.
“You get out of the automotive and it’s like, ‘Nicely, that’s Konnor,’” Heavener joked. “He was at all times greater than everybody.”
For 4 years, beginning when Griffin was in eighth grade, Heavener acquired to teach Griffin, seeing him blossom from a proficient teenager to top-of-the-line within the nation. Even when the peak distinction together with his friends has evened out a bit, he was nonetheless head and shoulders among the many highschool subject, being ranked as the highest prep participant on this yr’s newbie draft.
On Wednesday, he formally grew to become a professional, signing with the Pirates after he was chosen ninth total on July 14. Based on a supply, his bonus is for $6,532,025.
“It’s a dream to signal your title on the contract and put a professional jersey on,” Griffin mentioned throughout his introduction at PNC Park, donning his new white No. 24 Pirates jersey together with his surname stitched on. “Simply tremendous grateful for the individuals who helped me get right here. It feels nice. Tremendous excited. Able to get going. Prepared to start out my observe to the massive leagues.”
Griffin has been targeted on that journey to the Majors ever since draft evening, making it fairly clear that his want was to go professional and to not Louisiana State College, the place he had dedicated. He needed to get began as quickly as potential.
However he wouldn’t have been capable of go to PNC Park or be a Pirate had it not been for a call he made years prior. Initially, Griffin was purported to graduate highschool 2025, making him a part of subsequent summer season’s draft class. As an alternative, he reclassified to graduate and begin his profession a yr earlier.
“The primary time we mentioned it, it was like, ‘Is that this even potential? Can we realistically do that as a college?’” Heavener mentioned. “As a result of there’s quite a lot of transferring components once you determine to leap a grade.”
It turned out it was, however it took quite a lot of transferring items. Griffin wanted to take two English courses one yr and two science courses one other. He took courses over the summer season, together with a world historical past course with Heavener.
He additionally gave up basketball, understanding extra time needed to be devoted to his education, baseball and the burden room if this was going to work. Proper now, it appears secure to say it paid off.
“I wouldn’t be sitting right here if I didn’t reclass,” Griffin mentioned. “I believe it was good for me. … I believe it pushed me to play towards some more durable competitors. I used to be capable of face some adversity all through the summers, which was good. I didn’t need to go into professional ball, face my first cycle of adversity and never know what to do. I really feel like I’m ready now for no matter baseball throws at me.
“Now I’m capable of be sitting right here with a Pirates jersey on. It labored out nice.”
As Griffin stuffed out his 6-foot-4, 215 lb. body, his instruments began to raise to the following degree. Probably the most pronounced is his pace — graded by MLB Pipeline as a 65 instrument — as evidenced by him steal 87 bases his senior yr on 89 tries. (And a kind of caught stealing’s was attempting to steal house because the catcher threw again to the pitcher.)
“He runs like a dang deer,” Heavener mentioned. “That second step, he’s at max pace.”
Griffin isn’t only a runner, although — he has the potential to be a real five-tool participant and stick at shortstop, although he may additionally transfer to the outfield and excel there down the highway.
“He’s an unimaginable athlete, truthfully,” newbie scouting director Justin Horowitz mentioned the evening Griffin was drafted. “A possible five-tool celebrity on the highest degree, with among the greatest upside in the entire Draft.”
Now it’s time to see how these instruments translate to the professionals.
“I’m able to push myself and simply see what challenges are going to be in retailer,” Griffin mentioned. “Able to assault these and simply develop as a participant. I believe being round nice athletes and nice gamers can solely assist me develop as a participant.”