Phillies Top 30 Prospects No. 12: Griffin Burkholder Ready To Go?

This is the nineteenth in a series of stories breaking down the Philadelphia Phillies’ Top 30 prospects heading into 2026.

Griffin Burkholder batted .453 as a senior in high school, half his hits going for extra bases as he earned a scholarship from WVU Baseball. He also garnered a second round selection from the Phillies, who offered a $2.5 million signing bonus to lure him away from the Mountaineers.

A 6-foot-1, 195 pound outfielder, Burkholder mirrors the type of athletes who have enjoyed great success out of West Virginia — think JJ Wetherholt and Victor Scott II — possessing top of the line speed that makes him a natural in the outfield and a terror on the basepaths.

Injuries derailed his first season and a half in the pros, however, as a hamstring complaint held him out of all but one game in 2024. Burkholder played 34 games in 2025, split between rookie ball and Single-A Clearwater, a pair of injured list stints for an undisclosed ailment breaking up his season. He struggled to make contact when he did take the field, slashing .203/.309/.406 with the Threshers, but that’s a respectable OPS given how often he swung and missed.

Burkholder needs to clean up his approach, striking out nearly one-third of the time last season, but there’s still plenty to like about his bat. With six doubles, a triple and two homers in 19 games for Clearwater, Burkholder has an excellent chance of picking up his performance at the plate with consistent reps.

He attempted just one stolen base over 35 games to start his minor league career, but that should change as he gets more comfortable. Watch for a bounce back season from the 20-year-old if he can put his injuries behind him.