Konnor Griffin hype hits new level with bold 2026 ROY prediction

Buckle up, Pittsburgh Pirates fans. The Konnor Griffin hype train has officially gone bullet-speed.

ESPN just dropped their bold predictions for 2026, and tucked right there between the usual “this guy will break out” and “that team will disappoint,” fantasy guru Tristan Cockcroft went full send on the Pirates’ future face of the franchise.

Konnor Griffin will win National League Rookie of the Year in 2026, Cockroft predicted. Oh — and the Pirates win the NL Central.

While that second part feels… let’s say aspirational, the Griffin love is undeniable. And honestly, it feels like we’ve crossed into a whole new tier of hype. The kid hasn’t even debuted –– heck, he hasn't even played above Double-A –– and he’s already ROY chalk.

Cockcroft basically compared Griffin's 2026 timeline to that of Paul Skenes in 2024. He may start the year at Triple-A Indianapolis, arrive in Pittsburgh around May, and immediately become a monster. Only instead of blowing hitters away at 100 mph, Griffin brings the kind of five-tool chaos that makes scouts speak in hushed, reverent tones. Power. Speed. Defense. Arm. Bat speed you can hear. Swagger without trying.

Mind you, ESPN isn’t saying, “He’ll adjust nicely.” They're saying, "He'll show up and take the entire league by storm."

Konnor Griffin ROY prediction adds another exciting layer to Pirates' 2026 hype

Look — we all watched 2025. We know how steep the climb still is. Even with Skenes playing cheat-code baseball, the Pirates still needed more offense, more consistency, and about three more reasons for us not to stare nervously at the bullpen every night.

So “Pirates win the NL Central” feels… bold. Spicy. Optimistic to the point of possible delusion. But you know what? It also feels like something we haven’t had in a while –– belief. From the outside. Not pity. Not "cute story." Not "good for a small-market team." Actual, honest-to-God belief that the Pirates might be building something real.

This is what hype looks like in a baseball town that’s starving. We’ve seen “top prospects” before. We’ve seen promise. We’ve seen rebuilds. We’ve seen the words “foundation,” “window,” and “timeline” more times than any fanbase should ever have to.

But Griffin feels different –– so different, in fact, that he’s being penciled in as Rookie of the Year before Opening Day.

You can call it premature. You can call it reckless optimism. You can call it ESPN content filling time in January. But you also have to say this: It’s been a long time since the baseball world expected greatness from a Pirate. And it hits different.