By now, if you follow the top stories around Major League Baseball, you’ve probably heard the name Konnor Griffin. The consensus top prospect in baseball reached the Double-A level at age 19 and has a legitimate chance to open the season as the Pittsburgh Pirates starting shortstop before his 20th birthday. Griffin’s .941 OPS in his first minor league season cemented him as a future star in the eyes of many. For White Sox fans, watching Griffin dominate comes with a bit of disdain, because he very easily could be in the organization right now.
Griffin was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, four slots after the White Sox choice.