In case you've been sheltering your eyes from all things baseball related during the Boston Red Sox's ugly start, you've likely recognized that other teams have begun following in their footsteps by locking down key young players and top prospects to long-term deals in recent weeks.
None of those extensions mattered quite as much as the enormous deal the Pittsburgh Pirates are planning to hand to Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in all of baseball who made his MLB debut on Friday. That reported $140 million contract is a huge step forward for one of the league's most historically frugal franchises and will keep one the game's most exciting young talents with a small-market club for the next decade.
However, when one door opens, another must close. And, unfortunately for former Red Sox top prospect Enmanuel Valdez, Griffin's arrival means his time in Pittsburgh has come to a close (for now).
ROSTER MOVE: The Pittsburgh Pirates today selected the contract of infielder Konnor Griffin from Triple-A Indianapolis.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 3, 2026
Infielder Enmanuel Valdez was designated for assignment to make room for Griffin on the 40-man roster.
Enmanuel Valdez's MLB career takes a hit as Konnor Griffin one-ups Roman Anthony
Valdez never got much playing time with the Pirates, who acquired him for right-handed pitching prospect Joe Vogatsky over the 2024 season. Someone may claim him off waivers, betting on his power upside (he had two 25+ homer seasons in the minors) and age (he's still just 27). Even then, though, it's been a precipitous fall from grace for a player who was a top-20 prospect in the Red Sox's system prior to 2023.
Fun fact: Boston's best player right now, Wilyer Abreu, was the "other" prospect acquired from the Houston Astros in the Christian Vázquez-for-Valdez deal. The trade was clearly a win, even if it didn't work out exactly as planned.
If Valdez isn't claimed, the Pirates will likely outright him to Triple-A. He's never hit MLB pitching well (career 85 wRC+) but he's only played in 156 games. His shine may be dulled, but it hasn't completely disappeared.
Meanwhile, Griffin's contract is notable for many reasons, not the least of which is that it barely eclipses the monstrous extension Roman Anthony got last year (eight years, $130 million). Griffin's agreement may be completed before his MLB debut, while Anthony's came after a white-hot start to his career. Nevertheless, that's now back-to-back years in which the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball has signed a nine-figure deal.
Naturally, the Pirates will be hoping and praying that their star shortstop can come even close to match Anthony's rookie output, when the outfielder hit .292/.396/.463 (140 wRC+) and emerged as the Red Sox's everyday leadoff hitter. The two will be connected for a long time to come, with plenty of comparisons drawn thanks to their pedigrees and wallets.