Pirates Prospect Update: Konnor Griffin tear, Sammy Siani, pitcher's new offering

Pittsburgh Pirates v Minnesota Twins
Pittsburgh Pirates v Minnesota Twins | Brace Hemmelgarn/GettyImages

Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin has been on a tear in his first professional season with Single-A Bradenton, extending his active hit streak to seven games with a four-hit night in Thursday's 11-6 loss to Dunedin.

Griffin, the Pirates' No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI in his second four-hit performance of the season Thursday against Dunedin. All four of his hits had an exit velocity greater than 100 mph, demonstrating the impressive bat speed and consistent contact that made him appealing to the Pirates at No. 9 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft.

Griffin's four-hit night followed a three-hit performance the day before, giving him 17 hits in his last seven games. He's slashing .315/.366/.546 with seven home runs and 15 RBI for Bradenton this season, and MLB Pipeline ranks him as the No. 37 prospect in baseball.

Pirates Prospect Update: Wilber Dotel impresses with new pitch, Sammy Siani Double-A surge

Pirates pitching prospect Wilber Dotel has also been making waves of late thanks to an electric new pitch offering – an 85 mph splitter that has helped him become one of the most dominant strikeout pitchers at his level.

Dotel is averaging 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings compared to 3.5 walks, and his 41 strikeouts are tied for the sixth-most in all of Double-A. Through seven starts for Altoona, he has a 2.87 ERA across 31 1/3 innings.

Dotel's fellow Pirates prospect and teammate in Altoona, outfielder Sammy Siani, had a big day at the plate on Wednesday in which he racked up three hits and three RBI in the first game of a doubleheader against Harrisburg. Siani is coming off a dominant performance in the 2024 Arizona Fall League that saw him slash .375/.457/.550 across 80 at-bats.

The Pirates selected Siani with the No. 37 overall pick in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2019 MLB Draft, though he has yet to play above the Double-A level. In his first full season at Altoona, he's slashing .236/.321/.358 with a pair of homers and 21 RBI. If he can get hot, the Pirates could have a late-season call-up candidate on their hands.

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