Sometimes a plan works out.
Two summers ago, Derek Curiel pulled out of the MLB Draft to attended LSU. He wanted to get bigger and stronger. He wanted to develop as a hitter. He wanted to win.
Saturday he was selected No. 5 by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the MLB Draft as a national champion. The slot value with the pick is $8.34 million.
Curiel showed up hitting in Baton Rouge and never really stopped. He led the team in batting average in the fall of 2024 and parlayed that into an opening day start in left field for the 2025 team. He played every game for the title team and led the club with a .345 batting average, 20 doubles (led SEC) and a .470 on base percentage.
His two-run single in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the national finals gave LSU a 5-1 lead and propelled the team to the program’s eighth national championship. So did his team-best .390 NCAA Tournament batting average.
Curiel reached base in his first 43 games as a Tiger, a streak that ranks fifth in program history.
As a sophomore, he recovered from a broken ankle suffered in the fall and ended up hitting .353 with six homers and 13 stolen bases while transitioning to centerfield where he played elite defense.
Curiel has been a top prospect for MLB organizations since his early high school days. Jay Johnson worked tirelessly to recruit him from West Covina, CA. Two years Curiel spent in Baton Rouge lived up to the large hype.
He’ll join former No. 1 overall pick and Tiger Paul Skenes with Pittsburgh’s organization.
