The Pittsburgh Pirates are calling up Konnor Griffin, baseball's No. 1 prospect, for their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles. At 19 years and 344 days old, Griffin would be the first teenage position player to debut since Juan Soto in 2018. The shortstop phenom spent just five games at Triple-A Indianapolis, hitting .438/.571/.625 with three doubles and three stolen bases.

Griffin and the Pirates are negotiating a record-setting long-term contract extension, sources told ESPN. His promotion before any extension is complete would make the team eligible for a potential first-round draft pick through the Prospect Promotion Incentive. The Pirates missed out on a similar pick when Paul Skenes won Rookie of the Year after spending 2024 in the minors.

Pittsburgh's push toward contention included major free-agent signings of Ryan O'Hearn, Marcell Ozuna, and a trade for Brandon Lowe. With a rotation led by Skenes and Bubba Chandler, the Pirates are building a lineup to match. Griffin joins Soto, Bryce Harper, and Mike Trout as the most notable teenage position players to debut this century. Whether the Pirates can secure a long-term deal with their franchise cornerstone remains the burning question.