PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have the best prospect in baseball in Konnor Griffin, who heads into a crucial 2026 season with great expectations on him.

Griffin turns 20 years old next April, but could ink his future with the Pirates before he even makes a plate appearance at the major league level.

The Pirates aren’t known for their frivolous spending, but keeping Griffin around for the long-term and committing to that early on in his career might be the way to go.

Pirates GM Addresses Konnor Griffin Extension.

Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic spoke to Pirates general manager Ben Cherington at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla. this week.

They spoke on a host of topics, like free agency, trades and offseason plans, as well as whether they would try and sign Griffin to an extension.

Cherington said that they haven’t had discussions with Griffin on a potential extension, as their focus is more on what is most important this offseason, such as big-time trades and signing free agents to bolster their lineup in 2026.

“You chase down 100 things, and three, four or five land,” Cherington said to Nesbitt. “That’s just the way it works. That’s still the stage we’re at.”

Would the Pirates Actually Sign Griffin to an Extension?

Most teams don’t normally sign players that haven’t made their MLB debut, but it has happened before in recent years.

Outfielder Jackson Chourio signed an eight-year, $82 million extension with the Milwaukee Brewers on Dec. 4, 2023.

Chourio had a solid start, finishing third in 2024 National League Rookie of the Year Award voting, with Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes winning the award.

The one prior to that was the Chicago White Sox signing outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to a six-year, $50 million contract in 2020.

There have also been four other times this has happened, but for lesser money that both Chourio and Robert signed without making their MLB debut.

The Pirates would likely have to pay more than what Chourio got, with Griffin having the title of best prospect in baseball.

Still, they would likely sign him for much less right now than if he does make his MLB debut in 2026 and has a great season, like winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award.

Why Konnor Griffin is Deserving of an Extension

No one expected Griffin to have the season he did after the Pirates took him ninth overall out of Jackson Preparatory School in Jackson, Miss., but he not only exceeded those expectations, he became a star in the making in less than a year.

Griffin quickly moved up in the Pirates minor league system. He started out with Single-A Bradenton after a strong showing in Spring Training, moved to High-A Greensboro on June 10, then finished off with Double-A Altoona on Aug. 18.

He slashed .333/.415/.527 for an OPS of .942 in 122 games this season, with 161 hits, 23 doubles, four triples, 21 home runs, 94 RBIs, 50 walks to 122 strikeouts and 65 stolen bases on 13 attempts.

The 19-year old led all of minor league baseball with 117 runs scored and the 19-year old became the first teenage draftee to have a 20-40 season, finishing with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases. He was also the first minor league player to have a 20-60 season since 1982.

Griffin ranked amongst the best players in the minor leagues, including second in runs scored, fourth in batting average, fifth in hits, tied for seventh in RBIs and tied for eighth in stolen bases.

He was the first teenager since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to hit .333 or better in a minor league season. He is also one of just five teenagers that were a part of the 20-40 club and stole the most bases of that group.

Griffin also played in the Futures Game during All-Star week, honoring the best prospects in baseball. Altoona teammate Esmerlyn Valdez joined him there as well, as the duo represented the Pirates for the National League.

Accolades Pile on for Griffin

Griffin’s great play earned him many awards and accolades, including earning the title of top prospect in baseball, with Baseball America, MLB Pipeline and The Athletic giving him the coveted spot. 

He also won honors like Baseball America naming him their Minor League Player of the Year Award and MLB Pipeline naming him their Hitting Prospect of the Year and Debut of the Year.

The Pirates also honored Griffin with the Honus Wagner Player of the Year, given to the best player in their minor leagues, and the Bill Mazeroski Defender of the Year, given to the best defensive player in the minor leagues. 

Griffin ended his season by earning an MiLB Gold Glove Award, which bodes well for the Pirates, who are reportedly eyeing him as the starting shortstop for 2026 Opening Day.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense rose up and called game on Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson to close out Sunday’s game. The biggest win of the season. A great final play of Alex Highsmith racing around the edge to sack Jackson, something the Steelers’ front seven hadn’t been able to do all day (cornerback Brandin Echols had the only other sack of the day).

As the team has done so many times before in these contests, Pittsburgh made plays when it meant the most. But I can’t help but have one gripe over how the final drive went. An issue not aimed at the players but the coaches. Yet again, Nick Herbig was left off the field for nearly the entire drive.

In most obvious passing situations, Pittsburgh uses its 3-EDGE package with just one down lineman or, less often, just one inside linebacker. A way to get T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Herbig on the field all at once to maximize the Steelers’ rush.

Despite Baltimore being in the most obvious passing situation of the season, down five on its own 26 with less than two minutes to go and just one timeout, Pittsburgh didn’t use that grouping. Instead, the Steelers went the entire nine-play drive in its traditional 2-4-5 nickel: Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt at outside linebacker with Cam Heyward and Esezi Otomewo along the d-line.

Baltimore’s no-huddle for much of the drive prevented any substitution. Whatever package Pittsburgh came out with would be one they’d be committing to. And the Steelers chose to sideline Herbig. He played three snaps, replacing Highsmith at ROLB. One of them was a spike.

Pittsburgh chose to play Otomewo and Yahya Black along the d-line instead. And credit to Otomewo. His stunt on Highsmith’s sack played a key role, freeing up Cam Heyward to get interior pressure on Jackson that helped flush him wide for Highsmith to round the corner and take him down. Black played a solid game overall.

But the principle must be the same. Get the best players on the field, especially in the biggest moments. The game, the division, and really the season were on the line. And Herbig was largely glued to the sideline. That’s a problem.

Now, the Steelers can say it worked. All’s well that ends well. But I look at process as much as results, and the process missed the mark. It’s hardly a one-off. Failure to get Herbig playing time when Highsmith is healthy has been a recurring issue. That’s no slight on Highsmith. He should’ve been out there, too, just as he was. I’ve been on the other side of the “trade Highsmith” camp that’s swirled throughout the year, and Highsmith was excellent against Baltimore.

But it should’ve been Herbig subbing in for Otomewo and Black. That’s the best 11. Pittsburgh also still refuses to use dime packages, but that’s a separate issue, and the Steelers can at least point to the many DB injuries and changes.

In losses, there’s always reason to look at what went well. And in wins, there’s always reason to examine where further improvement could occur. Herbig again being left off the field in such a significant moment, for seemingly zero explanation or justification, can’t happen again. The next time Pittsburgh gets the chance, Herbig must be given the opportunity to help close the door.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have found their next special teams ace. A team that has had one for years and decades – John Fiala of the late 90s, Clint Kreidwalt, Sean Morey, and Chidi Iwuoma of the mid-2000s, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Tyler Matakevich of the mid-late 2010s, and Miles Killebrew of the 2020s, Carson Bruener is carrying that torch into 2025 and beyond.

A seventh-round pick who made the roster for his ‘teams value, he’s been putting that role to good use. Though Bruener has logged just one defensive snap this season, he’s quickly emerged as a core special teamer. His 220 special teams snaps rank fifth on the team and his 14 tackles on that unit is an excellent number.

Sunday’s showing against Baltimore was his marquee performance to date. Three special teams tackles, all on kick coverage, with high-end reps. Twice, he bowled over his would-be Ravens’ blocker en route to the returner.

On this rep, he is aligned at R2, fourth-in from the left. No. 39 dies a slow death as Bruener runs over him while keying the returner. Baltimore’s runback is clunky with the returner ahead of his up-man, losing a blocker in the process, and Bruener keeps him lateral and pinned to the sideline. Sebastian Castro and Jabrill Peppers also do nice jobs here to run him out of bounds.

Very similar here. Bruener again runs through his blocker even more forcefully this time, and the returner has nowhere to go. Bruener is no longer blocked and in position to make the tackle. He finishes this play off himself.

His final tackle was an assist and not solo. A little less impressive. Still, it was a solid rep shedding the block of TE Charlie Kolar, squaring up the returner, and combining with Peppers to make the stop.

The tackles themselves don’t tell the whole story. Bruener’s three stops put the Ravens at: their 26, 26, and 29 yard line. That’s six to nine yards inside of where a touchback would come out to the 35 yard line. Hidden yardage that works in Pittsburgh’s favor.

An underrated part of Omar Khan/Andy Weidl’s first two draft classes are the seventh round hits. In 2023, there was OL Spencer Anderson. In 2025, Bruener. Two serious contributors to the roster.

Kick and punt coverage are the first line of defense. It must be strong. The Steelers have been excellent here, and Bruener looks like a stud in the making. It wouldn’t be surprising he became a special teams captain in 2026 and held the job for the next seven years.