The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract extension with rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin, sources told ESPN. The deal, announced less than a week after Griffin's major league debut, represents the largest guarantee in franchise history and for any player in his rookie season.

At just 19 years old, Griffin became the first teenage position player to debut since Juan Soto in 2018. The contract buys out three potential free agency years for the consensus minor league player of the year in 2025, who hit .333/.415/.527 across three levels before being selected ninth overall in the 2024 draft. The Pirates' decision to wait until after Griffin's debut allows them to potentially earn a first-round draft pick if he finishes in the top three of MVP voting in 2026, 2027, or 2028.

This monumental commitment from an organization that typically maintains one of baseball's lowest payrolls signals Pittsburgh's aggressive push to end its postseason drought, which dates to 2015. The Pirates added veterans Ryan O'Hearn, Brandon Lowe, and Marcell Ozuna this offseason while nearly signing slugger Kyle Schwarber. With Pittsburgh off to a 7-4 start and ace Paul Skenes leading a rotation with a 3.27 ERA, the franchise is betting heavily on its young core to deliver championship contention.