Pirates' Derek Curiel selection in 2026 MLB Draft ignores one glaring concern

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected LSU outfielder Derek Curiel with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, adding one of the most polished hitters in the class to their farm system.

Curiel’s advanced bat, strong plate discipline and ability to play all three outfield positions give him a relatively high floor, but the selection is still a curious one for Pittsburgh given the questions surrounding his power ceiling.

At face value, Curiel is a fine pick. Getting outfield help to the big leagues quickly is very useful and Curiel should have little problem down in the minor leagues with his hit tool. The fact that he could play left, right, or center and play them pretty well is an added bonus.

As a hitter, Curiel uses the entire field and is a line drive machine. Depending on where his signing bonus ends up, this looks like a fine value pick of a guy that performed in a top college conference.

However, there are some concerns. For one, Curiel can hit, but he won’t hit for much in the way of power in all likelihood. He will hit somewhere in the 10-15 bombs a season range and he doesn’t really have the swing or strength to impact the ball as much as one would prefer. That puts a lot of pressure on his hit tool and glove to be excellent in the majors.

Pirates taking Derek Curiel 5th overall in the 2026 MLB Draft is a very curious decision

If minor swing changes happen that could add a little loft and Curiel adds some muscle, there is room for more upside. For now, this pick is more about his floor being high than any sort of bet on his ceiling.

Perhaps the Pirates believe Curiel can add loft without sacrificing the bat-to-ball skills that make him special. Perhaps an under-slot agreement would allow Pittsburgh to redirect money toward higher-upside players later in the draft. Still, the fifth overall pick is typically where a team should chase impact, not merely certainty.

Curiel has one of the highest floors in the class and could reach Pittsburgh faster than most alternatives. He is a good prospect and would fill an organizational need. But for a franchise that desperately needs more star-level position players, using the No. 5 selection on a polished outfielder whose ultimate ceiling may be limited by his power feels like an extremely safe — and very peculiar — decision.

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