Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly said Wednesday that a demotion for shortstop Konnor Griffin is not being considered, despite the 19-year-old posting a .189 batting average and .522 OPS through his first 12 major league games.

The club backed that stance by signing Griffin to a nine-year, $140 million contract, signaling a long-term commitment to its top prospect regardless of early struggles.

"I don't even know at what point that would enter the discussion," Kelly said. "That's not even in the realm of possibility right now. He's going to be up here."

Griffin's Statcast profile offers reason for patience. His sprint speed ranks in the 96th percentile and his bat speed in the 80th. A Cubs official noted that in his final at-bat at Wrigley Field Sunday, Griffin hit a 106.6-mph line drive on a down-and-away 3-2 sweeper from Ethan Roberts that sat well outside the strike zone.

"He's doing great, honestly," Kelly said. "We're talking about a 19-year-old kid who has, what, five games above Double A? He's learning. We know there's going to be a lot of development still in the big leagues."

Kelly also highlighted a sequence from the Pirates' 16-5 win over Washington Monday. Griffin drew a walk off Cade Cavalli in the second inning, prompting the pitcher to rush his delivery and trigger a four-run rally.

"The pitcher sped up, started throwing balls, trying to be quicker to have him not steal," Kelly said. "It wasn't a home run. But he changed the game because he got on base."

Pittsburgh views Griffin as a complete player capable of affecting games both in the field and on the bases, with further development still ahead.