Pirates' Konnor Griffin in line to win a major award in MLB originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Konnor Griffin got off to a slow start, hitting .231 with a .631 OPS in April, Griffin has done better in May. The 20-year-old is hitting .324 with a .959 OPS in 34 at-bats.
Like his fellow rookie, Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle, Griffin is signed to a lucrative extension (nine years, $140 million) and is starting to show why he is worth the cash. Griffin's success in May and star power at a young age continue to put him in line to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Pittsburgh Pirates Konnor Griffin is a favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award
In a poll of MLB experts, Griffin finished fourth (two first-place votes) to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Through 35 games, Griffin is hitting .256 with a .721 OPS and has nine stolen bases (hasn't been caught), which are the most among rookies in the National League.
"Through Sunday, Griffin's nine stole bases were most among NL rookies, while he was tied for first in triples (two) and tied for fourth in hits (32) and RBIs (19)," wrote MLB.com's Jason Foster. "He was hitting .316 with a .913 OPS over his past 10 games through Sunday. This included a four-hit game against the Reds on May 2. Overall, he's his safely in 11 of his past 12 games."
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New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean (23 first-place votes) is the overwhelming favorite to win the award, but there's still a lot of season left for Griffin to win. The Mets are the worst team in Major League Baseball (15-25), while the Pirates are a contender to make the playoffs (22-19). This could help sway some voters to put Griffin over McLean.
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