INDIANAPOLIS (93.7 The Fan) – Along with his future, Pirates, and baseball’s, best prospect Konnor Griffin talked to the PM Team live at Victory Field in Indianapolis about a number of topics. What Griffin said about starting in AAA? When he knew he was good? Who his hitting coach is and more.
Starting 2026 in AAA
He was one of the last players sent down this month, what Griffin said of having to start the season in the minor leagues after leading the Pirates in home runs in Grapefruit League play.
“This is still a promotion for me,” Griffin told Andrew Fillipponi, Chris Mueller and Donny Chedrick at Victory Field. “I ended last year in AA, starting this year in AAA is one step closer to my goal of making the big leagues. I’m right there close to me.”
“It kinda sucked because I feel like I was prepared. I feel ready to roll. This gives me a little more time to prepare for that debut and then it’s time to go win some games.”
What Griffin is working on now
“Being a tough out at the plate, every time I go up there,” Griffin told The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan. “Being patient, taking my walks and valuing those just as much as hits. Get on base and let my game play out. I’m at my best when I’m stealing bases and making diving plays. I’m ready to get rolling with that again.”
It wasn’t that he felt like he wasn’t ready.
“I felt really good,” Griffin said on 93.7 The Fan. “I felt comfortable. I didn’t feel overmatched, had a tough end to the spring, strikeouts were a little high, but I feel good. I felt like I belonged. I felt like I was prepared. Now it’s just continuing to hammer down on the little things I can work on. I’m always going to be working on something.”
When he knew he was good?
Griffin said it happened at 12-years-old when he knew he loved the game and was working hard. The dream then was to just play Division 1 baseball, then that changed when he was about 14 or 15-years-old when he started hearing about the MLB Draft.
“And the next thing you know, I’m picked by the Pirates,” Griffin said.
The 19-year-old said his first game his senior year of high school, which was just two years ago, there were 52 major league scouts there to watch him.
It’s about fun
The shortstop told Fillipponi, Mueller and Chedrick he will have fun no matter what and no matter where he is playing. He said he’s just part of something bigger.
“It’s the way I’m raised,” Griffin said on The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan. “I’m big in my faith. I believe that my whole plan is planned out for me. I’m doing my calling, I feel like I’m called to play baseball. I show up every day, try to have a good attitude and effort towards the game and have fun while I’m doing it.”
Facing Paul Skenes in practice at Spring Training
“When you get in the box and he’s on the mound, you are just going to compete,” Griffin told Fillipponi, Mueller and Chedrick. “You want to take him down. That’s why I think it’s so fun, the whole Spring everyone was competing against each other and that’s why I think it’s going to be a really good year.”
Other notes
- Griffin told the guys his father, Kevin, is the person he gets hitting advise from, his dad just won his 500th game coaching softball at Belhaven University.
- He told The PM Team it’s not as much about the number of practice hours as the quality of the work
- Griffin has not heard anything about him getting work in centerfield, his focus is on shortstop and ‘hammering down the details’
- His pregame music is old-school country, something calm
- Enjoys watching videos on YouTube, especially those about hunting
- His biggest adrenaline rush in sportswas being on a 9th grade relay team in track
Top quote
Saying he listens to calm country music pregame, but then there is a moment when it all changes.
“I go in the bathroom,” Griffin told ‘The PM Team’. “I put on my eye black. It’s time to roll, time to amp up and let the dog come out.”
LISTEN to interview with PM Team on 93.7 The Fan
