Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Pirates shifted their draft strategy this year, prioritizing immediate impact over long-term upside.
- The decision came after missing out on their top pitching target and signals a push for faster roster contributions.
- The Derek Curiel pick could address a specific organizational weakness while also setting up a high-stakes development timeline.
For better or worse, the Pittsburgh Pirates are following Ben Cherington's blueprint. Pittsburgh had loaded up on starting pitching in recent years, as the Pirates landed Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Bubba Chandler, Seth Hernandez and more via early draft capital. Heck, in some of my most recent MLB mock drafts, I projected the Pirates to go that route again in the form of Jackson Flora. Yet, Flora wasn't available when the Pirates picked at five, as the San Francisco Giants scooped up the UC Santa Barbara ace at No. 4.
So, that left with the Pirates with a choice. Would they take a swing on a high school bat with a high ceiling like Jacob Lombard or Eric Booth Jr., or instead chase a well-rounded player who could perhaps contribute sooner. Cherington chose the latter, as he selected LSU product Derek Curiel, who was the No. 12 prospect per MLB Pipeline entering this draft. Sure, it was a bit of a surprise for the Pirates to take Curiel in the top-5, but doing so underslot helped save some money for future picks AND was undoubtedly a safe selection for Pittsburgh.
Why the Pirates selected Derek Curiel
What the Pirates see in Curiel is a player who has performed at the highest level of college baseball (the SEC), and helped lead his team to a championship in 2025. While the Tigers failed to make it back to the mountaintop in 2026 — or even make a College World Series run to boot — it was not Curiel's fault. The now-Pirates outfielder slashed .349/.452/.522 with 13 HR, 16 SB in two seasons in Baton Rouge.
Coming out of high school in 2024, Curiel was a projected fourth-round pick, per scouts. He improved his game immensely, especially at the plate, and moving forward is as close to a sure bet as this draft class can offer. Curiel is lean and needs to put on some muscle. He resembles a young Christian Yelich, hence the lack of power but the quick left-handed stroke that made Pirates scouts drool.
Derek Curiel selection proves the Pirates want to win now
At 21 years old and a proven SEC slugger, Curiel won't need much time in the minor leagues to polish his tools. Rather, Curiel could see time in the major leagues in 2028, if not sooner. The pathway from college baseball to the major leagues, especially for first-round picks who played in major conferences, isn't as tough as it once was. Curiel doesn't strike out a whole lot and can hit the ball to all fields. While he's not the power hitter someone like Roch Cholowsky or Vahn Lackey may be at the major-league level, Curiel's bat speed is still developing.
Curiel's rapid development is important for the Pirates. Sure, they have one of the best lineups in baseball as of this writing, but their organizational outfield depth is lacking. Behind Brian Reynolds and Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh doesn't currently have many outfielders who project as star-level talent. In Curiel, the Pirates hope they found a player who can contribute right away, but is also around for years to come.
If not, Cherington won't hear the end of it wherever he ends up.
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