Jesse Rogers Apr 17, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

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Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.

When Konnor Griffin faced Mason Miller last week, the 19-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates rookie got a clear message that he wasn't in the minor leagues or playing high school baseball in Mississippi anymore.

The star San Diego Padres closer blew away Griffin with triple-digit heat and a pair of nasty sliders. It was a welcome to the big leagues moment -- but Griffin, in just his sixth career game, handled it like he belongs here.

"That was a tough at-bat, but that was a great experience," Griffin told ESPN. "There's not many closers that are better than that. It was good for me to jot something down on the notepad and learn from it for the next time."

He struck out on five pitches, three of which were over 100 mph.…