Derek Curiel becomes first SEC player off the board in 2026 MLB Draft
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Derek Curiel was selected No. 5 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday. With that, the former LSU star is the first SEC prospect off the board in Philadelphia at a slot value worth around $8.34 million.
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Curiel played 2 strong years in Baton Rouge, batting a team-high .345 with 82 hits, 46 RBIs and 6 home runs in 2025. He doesn’t have the most power, but he’s a consistent hitter with strong defense in center field and some speed with 13 stolen bases. As a freshman he won a national championship with LSU, starting all 68 games and earning Freshman first-team All-American honors for his efforts.
For his career, Curiel slashed .349/.452/.522 with 13 home runs and 16 stolen bases.
Curiel is the 4th LSU Tiger to be selected in the top 5 across the past 4 seasons, joining Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews and Kade Anderson. Interestingly, Curiel is the first college pick across the first 2 rounds for the Pirates since they took Skenes first overall in 2023.
Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
