It takes a special player to start on one of the best programs in college baseball and help lead them to a national championship as a true freshman.
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ fifth overall selection in this past draft, Derek Curiel, is that special player.
Derek Curiel Made an Immediate Impact at LSU
Derek Curiel arrived on campus at LSU as a true freshman in 2025. He was the fourth-ranked recruit in LSU’s 15-man 2024 class. Pirates’ phenom rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin was the top recruit in LSU’s 2024 class, but he signed with Pittsburgh after being selected ninth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft instead of playing in Baton Rouge.
Curiel started game one for the Tigers in 2025 and didn’t look back. Beginning in game one, he reached base safely in 43 straight games. Over that span, Curiel slashed .360/.475/.537 for an OPS of 1.012 and recorded 59 hits, 21 of which were for extra bases.
Perhaps most impressively, Curiel won SEC Freshman of the Week for the series in which he lost his on-base streak. The game after losing his streak, he went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, and five RBIs, demonstrating his resiliency.
For the next month, Curiel slumped a little, recording an OPS of .746. However, when the NCAA tournament rolled around, he returned to form.
In the NCAA tournament, Curiel was LSU’s leading hitter, slashing .390/.510/.561 for an OPS of 1.071. He then performed well in the College World Series, posting strong numbers and delivering in multiple big moments to lead LSU to its eighth national championship. For his efforts, Curiel was named to the College World Series All-Tournament Team.
Over the whole season, Curiel led the team with a .345 batting average while posting an incredible .989 OPS. He tagged 134 total bases while leading the SEC in doubles with 20. The freshman also batted in 55 runs and was third in the SEC for walks with 53.
LSU Slumped in 2026, but Curiel Didn’t
In 2026, LSU was not a championship team. In fact, they didn’t even make the NCAA Tournament.
Nonetheless, despite LSU slumping this past season, Curiel did not. The sophomore slashed .353/.431/.526 for an OPS of .957 on the season.
In addition to replicating his hitting stats from his phenomenal freshman season, Curiel brought more to the table in a couple of different areas his sophomore year.
First, Curiel made the switch from left field in his freshman year to center field in his sophomore year. He excelled in center and was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association’s 2026 Gold Glove Team.
Another area where Curiel showed an addition to his game was on the base paths. His freshman year, he stole only three bases on six attempts. His sophomore year, he swiped 13 bags on 15 attempts.
Because he turned 21 before the 2026 MLB Draft, Curiel was a draft-eligible sophomore. The Pirates then selected him fifth overall.
Curiel Fills a Specific Need on Pittsburgh’s Roster
The Pirates are having their best season in over a decade this year. They have an offense that is absolutely humming and a solid starting pitching staff. Furthermore, it looks like many of the important pieces on this year’s team will be around to stay for the next couple of seasons at least.
So, where does the recent draft pick fit into this?
The Pirates have a glaring weakness that Curiel can help address — their defense. The Bucs are 22nd in fielding percentage (.983), 22nd in plus/minus runs saved above average (-14), and 26th in Statcast fielding run value (-13). Pittsburgh’s outfielders are a part of that.
Curiel is a dynamic outfielder who, in his first season in center field, was a gold glover. He can greatly help bolster the Bucs down the middle.
Additionally, it’s unclear what Cruz’s long-term future with the team is, as he has two years of arbitration left and has not signed an extension. Curiel could slot in center field right as Cruz hits free agency.
Curiel’s Contact Hitting Pairs Perfectly With Pittsburgh’s Power
Curiel has proven to be a great contact hitter in his years at LSU, but he hasn’t hit the long ball at a very high rate. Thus, he fits best on a team that has multiple power hitters. Fortunately for Curiel, there’s no shortage of power in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates are top 10 in home runs this year and third in slugging percentage. Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, Esmerlyn Valdez, and Spencer Horwitz have all hit 10 or more home runs this year.
Their numbers could be even higher, but Cruz and Horwitz have missed significant time while Valdez has only played 34 games. While Lowe is set to be a free agent this offseason and the long-term future of Cruz is uncertain, the Bucs should still have several power pieces.
Curiel got on base at an elite rate in his two seasons at LSU (.471 and .431, respectively). He hit for an incredible average of .340+ both years and has a plus hit grade of 60. For home runs to be most effective, you need guys on base during them. Curiel provides that piece.
He can perhaps even operate from the leadoff spot, which he occupied most of the time and in which he excelled in his two seasons with the Tigers.
Curiel Is Clutch and a Winner
Another attractive quality of Curiel is his clutch factor. He turned it on in the NCAA Tournament in 2025 to play his best ball of the season. The holistic stats demonstrated his ability to rise to the moment, but more specific examples can illustrate it even better.
In the Baton Rouge Super Regional against West Virginia, Curiel went 4-for-7 with a double, a home run, and five RBIs. In the series, he reached base on an incredible eight of 11 plate appearances while slugging 1.143 for an outstanding OPS of 1.870.
Curiel continued to perform when the College World Series arrived. He delivered against Arkansas with a 2-hit game to send LSU to the championship. Curiel’s first hit was a leadoff double to start the game. His second hit came when they needed him most. Down 5-3 in the bottom of the ninth with one out and nobody on, the freshman phenom singled to start a ninth-inning comeback.
Curiel came up big in the national championship as well. In game two against Coastal Carolina, he batted in the Tigers’ last two runs. Curiel’s RBIs proved to be the winning runs as LSU won 5-3 to win their eighth national championship.
The next season, Curiel’s most memorable moment came in game one of LSU’s series against Tennessee.
The Tigers were coming off a big series win against Kentucky, and it looked like they might be turning their season around. Yet they would have to follow it up with another series win against the Volunteers. Fast forward to the eighth inning, where LSU was trailing 4-1. With the bases loaded and two outs, Curiel stepped to the plate and hit a grand slam to put the Tigers up 5-4. LSU held on to win the game.
The Tigers obviously did not turn their season around after Tennessee, but it was a high-stakes game at the time. It was once again another instance of Curiel delivering in the big moment.
The Pirates, who have not won a playoff game since 2013, could use a player who is a clutch winner. Curiel has shown he is that on several occasions. With Curiel being as polished as he is, it’s reasonable that he’ll progress through the minor leagues faster than most to help the Bucs win.
Pittsburgh’s Recent First-Round Track Record Speaks for Itself
The Pirates have excelled in the first round of the draft the past few years. Pittsburgh’s last three first-round picks have been Paul Skenes, Konnor Griffin, and Seth Hernandez.
Skenes is the reigning NL Cy Young. Griffin is an exciting rookie who has been an impact player for the Bucs this year. Hernandez is lighting it up in the minor leagues and is the sixth-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline.
Any Bucs fans not convinced of the pick from Curiel’s stats or college performance should put some faith in Pittsburgh’s front office. They’ve earned the benefit of the doubt with their recent slew of home run picks in the first round.
There’s good reason to believe the kid out of LSU is the Pirates’ fourth first-round hit in a row.
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