Will Konnor Griffin make Opening Day roster? Pirates pitcher hopes so

It has been an exciting spring training for Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin. Griffin has shown Major League Baseball fans why he is considered the sport’s top prospect. While there is speculation about whether the star shortstop will make the Pirates Opening Day roster, it appears Griffin has at least one advocate.

That advocate is Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler.

“He’s going to go dominate wherever he’s at, it’s going to be fun to watch,” Chandler said on Foul Territory. “….I’m super stoked that we have him. Super stoked to see where he ends up.”

Bubba Chandler says Konnor Griffin making the Pirates' Opening Day roster "would be sick."

He says Griffin is mature beyond his years and most people wouldn't know he was only 19 years old. pic.twitter.com/MvuyyPkL6q

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 17, 2026

Griffin has already blasted four home runs this spring for the Bucs. He is also winning over plenty of Pirates fans, who are excited to see what he can do at the big league level.

Pittsburgh finished the 2025 season with a 71-91 record, extending a postseason drought. The Pirates finished last in the National League Central.

The Pirates hope to improve their offense in 2026

Pittsburgh was dead last in several MLB categories during the 2025 season, when it comes to their offense. The Pirates worked to fix that. The club added a lot of new bats this offseason, either in free agency or via trades. Pittsburgh now has Ryan O’Hearn, Brandon Lowe, and Marcell Ozuna.

It remains to be seen if Griffin will also be on the Pirates roster for Opening Day. Pittsburgh’s general manager Ben Cherington has stressed the franchise wants to bring him along cautiously.

“We believe we have a responsibility as an organization with Konnor,” Cherington said recently, per MLB.com. “He’s got a chance to have a really good, long career. It’s our job to do everything we can to support him to be in the best spot possible to do that.

“Obviously we want to try and marry that up with helping the Pirates win as many games as possible, too. That will continue to guide us.”

The Pirates play a spring training game on Tuesday against the Houston Astros. Time will tell if Griffin is playing in a black and gold uniform on Opening Day.

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