{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2005)}} {{Infobox baseball biography | name = Derek Curiel | image = Louisiana State University Tigers head coach Jay Johnson and LSU Shreveport Pilots head coach Brad Neffendorf present commemorative jerseys to President Donald Trump (54874261462) (cropped) Derek Curiel.jpg | caption = Curiel at the White House in 2025 | team = LSU Tigers | number = 6 | position = Outfielder | birth_date = {{bda|2005|5|24}} | birth_place = Baldwin Park, California, U.S. | bats = Left | throws = Left | debutleague = | debutdate = | debutyear = | debutteam = | statleague = | statyear = | stat1label = | stat1value = | stat2label = | stat2value = | stat3label = | stat3value = | teams = | awards = * College World Series champion (2025) }} '''Derek Boaz Curiel''' (born May 24, 2005) is an American college baseball outfielder for the LSU Tigers.
==Amateur career== Curiel grew up in West Covina, California and attended Orange Lutheran High School.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/derek-curiel-shows-off-speed-hitting-ability-in-pdp-league|title='Always in attack mode,' Curiel racks up steals, hits in PDP League|first=Sam|last=Dykstra|website=MLB.com|date=June 28, 2023|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref> He committed to play college baseball at LSU as a sophomore and was rated the top collegiate prospect in the nation by Perfect Game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/lsu/article/break-down-lsu-baseball-2024-commits-202874713/|title=Breaking down LSU's 2024 baseball commits|first=Dylan|last=Sanders|website=247Sports.com|date=January 14, 2023|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref> Curiel batted .358 with eight doubles and 15 stolen bases during his junior season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2024/02/05/orange-county-baseball-preview-orange-lutheran-ready-for-all-challenges-with-formidable-lineup/|title=Orange Lutheran ready for all challenges with formidable lineup|work=The Orange County Register|date=February 10, 2024|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref> He played for the United States national baseball team in the 2023 U-18 Baseball World Cup and hit .240 over nine games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/derek-curiel-lsu-baseball-mlb-draft-2024-konnor-griffin/article_fb32a3f6-2cdd-11ef-b2b3-f7714c76755f.html|title=Derek Curiel to LSU baseball, passing up 2024 MLB Draft|work=The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate|date=June 17, 2024|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref> Curiel batted .314 as a senior.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lsutigerswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/lsu/recruiting/2025/01/13/lsu-baseball-recruit-named-top-freshman-in-the-country-by-perfect-game/77666029007/|title=LSU baseball recruit named top freshman in the country by Perfect Game|first=Alexis|last=Yoder|website=LSU Tigers Wire|publisher=USA Today|date=January 13, 2025|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref> While initially considered one of the better high school prospects for the 2024 MLB Draft, Curiel's stock fell during his senior year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5414137/2024/04/15/2024-mlb-draft-kellon-lindsey-trey-yesavage-vance-honeycutt/|title=2024 MLB Draft notes on risers Kellon Lindsey, Trey Yesavage; plus NHSI notes and more|first=Keith|last=Law|website=The Athletic|date=April 15, 2024|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/top-20-high-school-prospects-for-2024-mlb-draft|title=Top 20 High School prospects for '24 Draft|first=Jonathan|last=Mayo|website=MLB.com|date=October 23, 2023|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref> He ultimately decided to withdraw from the draft and enroll at LSU.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/lsu-signee-derek-curiel-withdraws-from-2024-mlb-draft/|title=LSU Signee Derek Curiel Withdraws From 2024 MLB Draft|work=Baseball America|date=June 17, 2024|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref>
Curiel entered his freshman season with the LSU Tigers as their starting left fielder.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/lsu-baseball-win-purdue-fort-wayne-derek-curiel-jared-jones/article_db9b5c54-ebc8-11ef-8de8-5f203bcae8ec.html|title=Home runs from Derek Curiel, Jared Jones lift LSU baseball past Purdue Fort Wayne|work=The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate|date=February 15, 2025|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/lsu-baseball-purdue-fort-wayne-takeaways-analysis-jay-johnson/article_0041de46-ecc5-11ef-8deb-eb3148adf41a.html|title=Pitchers throwing strikes and an OF logjam: 5 takeaways from LSU baseball's opening week sweep|work=The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate|date=February 16, 2025|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref>
Curiel is considered one of the top prospects for the 2026 Major League Baseball draft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collazo |first=Carlos |date=2026-03-10 |title=Scouting Derek Curiel: A Polished Pure Hitter With Power Questions |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/scouting-derek-curiel-a-polished-pure-hitter-with-power-questions/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Hunter |date=2026-05-26 |title=Roster Review: The Outfield |url=https://www.louisianasports.net/2026/05/26/roster-review-the-outfield/top-stories/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=Louisiana Sports |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sanders |first=Dylan |date=2026-05-25 |title=Three LSU Tigers Stars Who Will Either Return Or Declare For MLB Draft |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/three-lsu-tigers-stars-either-001656167.html |access-date=2026-05-26 |work=Yahoo Sports |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|brm=curiel000der}} *[https://lsusports.net/sports/bsb/roster/player/derek-curiel/ LSU Tigers bio]
{{2025 LSU Tigers baseball}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curiel, Derek}} Category:2005 births Category:Living people Category:Baseball outfielders Category:Baseball players from West Covina, California Category:LSU Tigers baseball players Category:Lutheran High School of Orange County alumni