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FORT WORTH, Texas --The Pittsburgh Pirates selected shortstop Konnor Griffin with the ninth overall pick in first round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft on Sunday night.
The 18-year-old Griffin, the first high school player selected in this year's draft, was named Baseball America's High School Player of the Year in 2024. Griffin was rated by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America as the No. 9 prospect in this year's draft.
Coming into the draft, Baseball America rated Griffin as the "Best Athlete," second in "Best Power" and "Best Defensive Outfielder" and fourth in "Best Speed" among this year's high school draft class.
During his senior year at Jackson Preparatory School in Flowood, Miss., Griffin hit .559 with 13 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 39 RBIs, 85 stolen bases, .690 OBP and .966 slugging percentage in 43 games. Griffin also went 10-0 with an 0.72 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 67.2 innings of work as a pitcher during his senior season.
Griffin was also named Gatorade's National Player of the Year as well as the MaxPreps Player of the Year in 2024.
He was also rated by Perfect Game as the No. 2 overall high school prospect as well as the No. 1 prospect in the state of Mississippi.
Later Sunday, the Pirates selected prep right-handed pitcher Levi Sterling out of Notre Dame High School (Calif.) with the No. 37 overall pick in Competitive Balance Round A. They then took Independence High School (Texas) shortstop Wyatt Sanford at No. 47 overall in the second round.
Sterling was rated by Baseball America as the No. 54 prospect in the draft and No. 58 by MLB Pipeline. He recorded a 2.62 ERA in 45.1 innings while also hitting .319 as a senior.
Sterling was a 2024 end-of-season Baseball America second-team High School All-American and was rated by Perfect Game as the No. 6 right-handed pitcher in the nation and as the No. 31 prospect overall.
Sanford was rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 35 prospect and No. 42 by Baseball America.
His dad, Chance, played for the Pirates in 1998 after being drafted by Pittsburgh in both 1991 and 1992.
Has named a second-team All-American during his senior year and was recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year in District 10-5A during his senior season.
Travis Bazzana was the No. 1 overall pick by the Cleveland Guardians.
Bazzana played cricket, rugby and soccer growing up in Australia. What he always wanted was to be a major league baseball player.
"I don't remember ever putting a different answer to what's your dream job or what are you going to do in the future," Bazzana said.
The second baseman, who at age 3 was playing T-Ball against kids twice his age, took a significant and historic step toward reaching his lifelong goal.
Bazzana came to the United States to play baseball at Oregon State, and after three seasons. The 21-year-old became the first Australian and first second baseman taken No. 1.