Watch: Griffin Conine has early Catch of the Year candidate

Miami Marlins right fielder Griffin Conine. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Watch: Marlins' Griffin Conine has early Catch of the Year candidate

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Mar 29, 2025 7:10 PM ET

Miami Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine did not start Saturday afternoon's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, entering the game late as a pinch-hitter and staying in to play left field. That decision ended up allowing him to make what might be the best defensive play of the young Major League Baseball season.

In a 3-3 game in the top of the eighth inning, Pirates outfielder Jack Suwinski struck a well-hit fly ball deep into left field that looked like it had a chance to be a go-ahead home run.

That is until Conine did this.

GRIFFIN CONINE BRINGS THIS BALL BACK pic.twitter.com/hLttjjf0tO
— MLB (@MLB) March 29, 2025

That is some serious air-time, as well as a perfectly timed jump, to go up that high and bring that ball back. It looked like it was going to be five or six feet over the wall without much issue.

Conine had other ideas.

it also has to be a major source of frustration for Suwinski. His 2024 season was a bitter disappointment that saw him get demoted to Triple-A, and he is looking to get off to a strong start this season. That would have been a good way to do it. It was not meant to be on that play.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz

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