RADIO
Pirates Take Outfielder Derek Curiel With Fifth Overall Pick
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Louisiana State outfielder Derek Curiel with the fifth overall pick on Saturday in the 2026 MLB draft. Curiel was considered the No. 12 prospect in this year's draft. The 21-year-old stands at 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds and bats from the left side of the plate. In his second and final season with the Tigers in 2026, he hit .353/.431/.526 with a .957 OPS, six home runs, 46 RBI, 13 stolen bases, and 64 runs scored in 58 games and 274 plate appearances. He's a bit of a surprise to sneak into the top five picks of this year's draft because of the fact that he's considered more of a glove-first center fielder with more of an ability to hit for average than power. Curiel has great bat-to-ball skills, though, and a fluid swing from the left side. As things currently stand, Curiel could struggle to even reach 15 homers per season as he works his way up the minor-league ladder in the coming years, but perhaps he'll develop more power as he adds some weight to his currently lean frame. He has been compared to Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich without as much power.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
