LSU Baseball Draft News: Derek Curiel's expected signing bonus

Derek Curiel became the latest former LSU baseball star to be picked in the top five in the MLB Draft. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected him at No. 5 overall on Saturday during the 2026 MLB Draft. He joins Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews and Kade Anderson as Tigers to be drafted in the top five since 2023.

Scouts considered Curiel a consensus first rounder but most mock drafts had him going in the teens and high twenties. ESPN ranked him the No. 10 overall prospect and MLB out him at No. 12. The outfielder over performed all expectations and becomes the most recent Tiger turned Pirate, following Skenes.

MLB assigned a slot value of $8.34 million to the No. 5 overall pick but the total compensation package will likely exceed the estimate. The Pirates boast the sixth-highest bonus pool at $16.2 million, which means the contract and signing bonus will be lucrative.

Curiel teased a return to LSU during interviews following the 2026 season. The chance he donned the purple and gold again was slim but has almost certainly dissipated with the estimated amount of money sitting on the table from the Pirates.