Derek Curiel
Position: OF
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 192 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/L
Born: 05/24/2005
College: Louisiana State University
How Acquired: Drafted 1st Round, 5th Overall, 2025
Bonus: $6,200,000
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: 2029
Minor League Free Agency: 2032
Options Left: 3
Overview
The Pirates drafted Curiel with the fifth overall pick in 2026 as a draft-eligible sophomore. He’s an outfielder whose main attribute is very good contact ability. FanGraphs rates his speed a 70 and he has a good chance to be an above average center fielder with a good enough arm to stay there. Curiel has hit for high averages in college, although he does strike out a bit more than the scouting reports suggest; he had a K rate of 17% as a freshman and 16% as a sophomore. He batted 349/452/522 over his two years. None of the reports projects him to hit for much power as he lacks bat speed and his frame doesn’t make him projectable. MLB Pipeline ranked him 12th in the draft class, FanGraphs 15th and Baseball America 10th. A little surprisingly for a sophomore, he signed for over $2M less than the slot amount of $8,336,500.
Stats
Transactions
July 11, 2026: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in round 1, 5th overall pick; signed July 26.