FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Konnor Griffin is making it very difficult for the Pittsburgh Pirates to send him to the minor leagues.

The 19-year-old shortstop, ranked as the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline, put on a jaw-dropping display of power on Monday, blasting two home runs in the Pirates' 16-7 rout of the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park. The performance capped off a spectacular first week of full-squad workouts in which Griffin has been nothing short of the MVP of Bradenton.

The first homer came in the second inning, when Griffin got ahold of a curveball from All-Star pitcher Ranger Suarez and sent it soaring over JetBlue Park's replica Green Monster. The blast traveled 374 feet and left teammates and coaches shaking their heads in disbelief. He followed that up with another moonshot later in the game, leaving no doubt about the kind of raw power that has scouts comparing him to generational talents.

Griffin has been turning heads since the moment he arrived at spring training. During the first week of full-squad workouts, his batting practice sessions became must-watch events, with rocket shots effortlessly clearing the batter's eye and routinely pelting the roof of the batting cages in left field. The soon-to-be 20-year-old represents the kind of power-speed combination that hasn't been seen since Mike Trout burst onto the scene with his legendary 30-homer, 49-steal rookie campaign in 2012.

The question now consuming Pirates fans and the broader baseball world is whether Griffin will make the Opening Day roster when Pittsburgh begins its 2026 season on March 26. The organization has been cautious in its public comments, acknowledging Griffin's obvious talent and maturity while pointing to his relative inexperience in professional baseball.

Adding another layer to the conversation, reports indicate that the Pirates and Griffin are mutually interested in negotiating a long-term extension. Such a deal could give Pittsburgh additional years of team control while potentially allowing Griffin to reach free agency during his prime earning years, a structure that has become increasingly popular across the sport.

Meanwhile, Griffin is not the only Pirates star generating headlines this spring. Ace pitcher Paul Skenes, fresh off winning the 2025 National League Cy Young Award with a dominant 1.97 ERA and 216 strikeouts in 187 2/3 innings, announced that he expects to make two starts for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. The tournament kicks off on March 5 and runs through March 17, with the United States fielding a powerhouse roster that includes Aaron Judge, Tarik Skubal, Cal Raleigh, and Kyle Schwarber alongside Skenes.

Skenes, who spent two years at the U.S. Air Force Academy before transferring to LSU and becoming the first overall pick in the 2023 draft, said his motivation for representing Team USA goes beyond baseball. He wants to honor U.S. servicemen and women and give them the recognition they deserve on an international stage.

With Opening Day still a month away, the Pirates appear to be building something special in Pittsburgh. Between Griffin's explosive arrival on the prospect scene and Skenes anchoring one of the most exciting young rotations in baseball, the franchise that has long been associated with rebuilding may finally be ready to compete for October baseball.

For now, all eyes remain on Bradenton, where Konnor Griffin continues to make the case that he belongs in the big leagues right now.