Konnor Griffin is not normal. The Pirates top prospect — and the top-ranked prospect in all of baseball — goes about his business a bit differently than you and I. He keeps things close to the vest, which is a refreshing mentality for an athlete expected to revolutionize Pittsburgh's franchise (see Brown, Antonio and Bell, Le'Veon). Pirates fans can respect privacy. But these are also the Pirates, which is also why a trade can never be ruled out (but ought to be).
The Pirates won't trade Griffin anytime soon. But if Pittsburgh were a team willing to spend $300 million, what players could they get in return for the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball?
Minnesota Twins, Byron Buxton
Buxton is a Twins legend, and should not be traded unless absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, for Minnesota, now may be that time. Buxton is tired of the Twins playing for third place or worse.
Just last season, Buxton played his most complete campaign in awhile. Buxton played just short of 130 games and had 4.9 bWAR. He provided some power to a Twins lineup that otherwise lacked it. Do you get the picture?
The Pirates should not trade Griffin for Buxton. I am not saying that, and there is little chance Pittsburgh deals Griffin in general. However, his value will never be higher. If Ben Cherington could secure the likes of Buxton and Joe Ryan, he ought to consider it. The Pirates would make the playoffs in an unpredictable NL Central.
Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
Adley deserves a new home, and there is no team that needs a catcher more than the Pittsburgh Pirates. Coincidentally, there is no catcher who needs a fresh start more than Adley. The Orioles drafted a backup plan for Rutschman several years back in Samuel Basallo. There's no guarantee his is a productive offense catcher, either.
As for the Pirates, they can land one of the best players at his position in Rutschman on the cheap. That's just the start, though, as Pittsburgh should demand more via trade. The likes of Coby Mayo or Jackson Holliday (post-injury) could be available via trade.
I am just spitballing here. What the Orioles need most is starting pitching. That's why, if the Pirates want to trade a young player to Baltimore, they might want to consider Bubba Chandler or Jared Jones instead.
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Mike Trout is on the other side of 30 years old. However, he claims he still has a lot left to give. If the Angels were to part ways with Trout, they'd want a player like Griffin back in return. The Pirates would ask for much more — as they should — but they could probably get Arte Moreno to take on all of Trout's remaining contract.
I'm one of the few pundits who believe Trout has something left to give. It's been a long time since the outfielder was a productive player offensively and defensively. If you don't believe me, just look at the numbers.
Season | bWAR |
|---|---|
2022 | 6.1 |
2023 | 2.9 |
2024 | 1.1 |
2025 | 1.5 |
Thus, the Pirates should be able to get much more for Griffin. The only top-100 prospect the Angels have is right-handed pitcher Tyler Bremmer. Perhaps he could be thrown in the mix.
Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
Bryce Harper is not elite, at least if you ask Dave Dombrowski. The Phillies president of baseball operations took the better part of the MLB offseason hurting one of his best player's trade value. Harper wasn't happy, and called out Dombrowski in public. You can probably guess who Phillies fans sided with, and it wasn't the front office.
Harper playing in Pittsburgh would be a strange fit. But the Pirates don't have many bats. Harper can play corner outfield or first base. Cherington needs both of these, despite signing Ryan O'Hearn and trading for Jhostynxon Garcia.
It would be unlike the Pirates to trade for Harper, who has a large price tag associated with his name. I certainly would hang up immediately. There are few prospects as surefire as Griffin, and the Pirates don't want that player dominating in their state.
Ronald Acuña Jr, Atlanta Braves
When he's healthy, Acuña Jr. is one of the best players in baseball. Acuña Jr. can do it all, including hit 40-plus home runs and steal just as many bases. However, he's missed the better part of two seasons due to injury. That's not his fault, but I would urge the Pirates to be cautious before trading away their one true hope for a 28-year-old outfielder.
Sure, Acuña Jr. is in his prime now, but that won't last forever. Acuña Jr. is bound to slow down sooner rather than later. He has one of the strongest arms in baseball, so he should stay in the corner outfield until his late 30's (at least). Acuña Jr. is also affordable, which makes this an attractive fit.
If there were a player the Pirates would deal Griffin for, it'd be someone on a contract like Acuña's. The problem is that Acuña doesn't like his deal. It expires in just a few years, and thus he'd leave Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, the Pirates could be stuck watching Griffin for the next decade.
Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
Tatis Jr. could be the best everyday player on this list. Despite his performance-enhancing drugs suspension, Tatis Jr. has been a consistent force since his promotion to MLB in 2019. Tatis Jr. missed all of the 2022. Since then, he's been among MLB's best players when healthy, all the while receiving boos from Dodgers fans. What better way to get revenge on Los Angeles than playing for MLB's poorest team?
Season | Games | bWAR |
|---|---|---|
2023 | 142 | 5.2 |
2024 | 102 | 2.6 |
2025 | 155 | 5.9 |
The Pirates would gladly acquire a player like Tatis Jr., but I cannot stress just how productive Griffin has been in the minor leagues. Executives like Cherington pride themselves on scouting and minor-league development. That's why someone like Tatis Jr. is off-limits for both sides.
For the Padres, why trade your franchise player (and lose ticket revenue and franchise valuation) for anything less than the best prospect in baseball? For the Pirates, trading Griffin and his affordable contract comes with risk Bob Nutting claims he cannot afford.
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
We had to include this for fun, didn't we? Skubal is the Team USA teammate of Paul Skenes in the World Baseball Classic. None of it matters, of course, as Skubal will pitch just one game against Great Britain before watching the rest from the dugout. Skubal is a free agent after this season. For most players the WBC would serve as a recruiting tool. Most players don't play for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Skubal is on an expiring contract, so you can bet the Tigers would take Griffin straight up for Skubal and then some. Cherington could fleece Scott Harris if he wanted to, but he won't because he's far too scared of trading away the best prospect of his generation. That's a fair concern given some of the prospect grades Griffin has received so far.
Tool | Grade |
|---|---|
Hit | 60 |
Power | 65 |
Run | 70 |
Arm | 70 |
Field | 60 |
Overall | 70 |
If Griffin fails, he'll be a legendary bust. We've hyped him up just that much. Skubal is the best pitcher in MLB, though, and pairing him with Skenes long term should be appetizing to any MLB team.
It's not for the Pirates, though, because Skubal will cost $400 million. For those curious why an MLB lockout will happen, I just gave you a great test case.