Griffin, 19, will start at shortstop for the Pirates as his first major league game will be against the Baltimore Orioles. The Jackson, Mississippi, native was the ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Through five games in Triple-A ball this season, Griffin batted .438 (7-16) with three doubles, one RBI, and three stolen bases. What he did through the minors in 2025, though, is what shot him to the top of the prospect list.
Last season, Griffin played a total of 122 games through Single-A, High-A, and Double-A ball, where he finished with a combined .333 batting average and a .941 OPS with 21 home runs, 94 RBI, and a whopping 65 stolen bases on 78 attempts, also winning the 2025 Minor League Gold Glove Award.
In Spring Training this year, Griffin only hit .171, going 7-for-41 at the plate with four home runs, nine RBI, two walks, 13 strikeouts, and one stolen base.
He joins a Pirates lineup that ranks smack-dabbed in the middle of the league with a .231 batting average. Pittsburgh is currently 3-3 on the season as things are still getting underway.
Should Griffin remain on the team the entire season, Pittsburgh will receive a draft pick through the Prospect Promotion Incentive.
