Konnor Griffin Is A 19-Year-Old Shortstop—The Pirates Just Gave Him $140 Million

Do you remember what you were doing at age 19? Perhaps you were indulging in the finer parts of college life, doing your best (or your worst) to combine extracurriculars with studying and going to class. Or maybe you spent some time traveling to new places and experiencing different cultures. You could have been moving up the workforce, working a job in a field you hopefully enjoyed.

Chances are, you were not receiving a guaranteed $140 million.

Yet that's the news Konnor Griffin got this week. The Pittsburgh Pirates called up their young shortstop to the Major Leagues to make his debut on April 3. He played in exactly five games before the team announced it was giving Griffin a nine-year contract extension worth up to $140 million.

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It's the largest guarantee in Pirates history, and no rookie has ever gotten a larger offer, either. Because the Pirates waited until after Griffin played in a big league game, they'll get a first-round draft pick via the Prospect Promotion Incentive if Griffin wins Rookie of the Year this season or finishes in the top three of MVP voting in any of the next three years.

Earlier this year, another NL Central team, the Milwaukee Brewers, gave Cooper Pratt a deal worth $50.75 million over eight seasons. Pratt, 21, hasn't yet played a game in the major leagues.

Griffin doubled, walked, and drove in an RBI in his first big league game, but struggled over the next three. However, he's knocked in two hits and three RBI over his last two contests, including a pinch-hitting appearance in his first game after this deal got announced. He's the first teenager to make his major league debut since Juan Soto in 2018.

Typically, an MLB player becomes a free agent after six years of service. The Pirates are ensuring Griffin remains on the team for the duration of that span, plus another three seasons. He would have entered free agency when he was 26 years old. Instead, the Pirates are hoping he'll be a bit of a steal by then, since contracts for star players will likely continue to rise. And the deal doesn't contain a no-trade clause, so the team could move him without much trouble if things don't work out.

That decision won't come for several years, though. There's lots to be excited about right now, for Pirates fans, Griffin, and his family. He turns 20 later this month. Knowing he's got a nine-figure deal coming his way is a pretty sweet birthday present.