Since 2013, the MiLB Hitting Prospect of the Year award has highlighted future stars who have gone on to achieve a combined 24 All-Star selections, nine Silver Slugger awards, three Rookie of the Year honors, and two MVP awards. The next recipient will be revealed during MLB Network’s third annual MiLB Awards Show at 9 p.m. ET on September 29.
This year’s finalists are Konnor Griffin (Pirates), Kevin McGonigle (Tigers), and JJ Wetherholt (Cardinals). The selection process considered only Minor League statistics, with finalists chosen by MLB Pipeline’s staff.
Konnor Griffin, at age 19, played across Single-A, High-A, and Double-A for the Pirates. He posted a .333 batting average with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases over 122 games. Entering professional baseball as the No. 9 pick in the 2024 Draft, Griffin made significant improvements to his hitting mechanics and exceeded expectations defensively at shortstop. “The Pirates, who often will tread carefully with high school talent, had no choice but to send him to full-season ball to start the season after an impressive Spring Training,” according to MLB Pipeline.
Kevin McGonigle of the Tigers had a .305 average with 19 home runs in 88 games. Despite missing time early in the season due to an ankle injury, he maintained strong plate discipline with more walks than strikeouts. “McGonigle continued to walk more than he struck out and now has a career 15 percent walk rate and just 10.3 percent strikeout rate in the Minors,” MLB Pipeline noted.
JJ Wetherholt represented the Cardinals after being drafted seventh overall from West Virginia University in 2024. In his first full professional season split between Double-A and Triple-A, he batted .306 with 17 home runs and demonstrated both offensive consistency and defensive versatility: “Wetherholt did nothing to dampen his reputation. He walked nearly as often as he struck out, showed off considerable extra-base power and put his previous hamstring issues from college behind him by topping 20 steals.” His performance earned him a wRC+ of 152 for the season.
Previous winners of this award include notable players such as Byron Buxton (2013), Kris Bryant (2014), Ronald Acuña Jr. (2017), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2018), Gunnar Henderson (2022), Jackson Holliday (2023), and Kristian Campbell (2024).
The winner will join this list when announced on September 29 during MLB Network’s broadcast.
