Former LSU Baseball sophomore Derek Curiel was picked No. 5 overall in the 2026 MLB Draft Saturday by the Pittsburgh Pirates.  

The 6’2 West Covina, California native made his mark on the LSU program from the jump. Curiel made the decision before his freshman year to forgo the MLB draft and opted to play for the Purple and Gold. 

During his freshman season Curiel started in all 68 games. He held the team high batting average at .345 on the season, with seven homers and 55 RBI. His offensive and defensive performances helped lead LSU to the 2025 Men’s College World Series and National Championship. 

Curiel’s sophomore season saw much of the offensive momentum continue to build. Curiel batted .353 on the season with a massive .957 OPS. 

Curiel only hit six homers in the 2026 season and the Pirates organization will likely look to develop Curiel’s at-bat power as he enters the professional leagues. 

Curiel was projected as the MLB Pipeline’s No. 12 overall prospect and jumped up top a top five pick by the time the Pirates were on the board. Curiel became LSU’s sixth top-five draft pick since 2022. Curiel will be joining the Pirates organization where he may have the chance to play alongside former Tiger and 2025 Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes.