Konnor Griffin doesn’t have to look far to find a familiar face in the Pirates’ newest first-round pick.
Derek Curiel may be the latest young name to land in Pittsburgh’s system, but Griffin already knows exactly what he brings. The two were teammates on Team USA’s 18U squad in 2023, and Griffin has been quick to rave about him ever since.
They lined up together in the outfield during the U-18 Baseball World Cup, with Curiel patrolling center field and Griffin handling right field on the days he wasn’t pitching. Curiel was listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds then, a lean center fielder who tied for the tournament lead with six stolen bases. Griffin, at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, looked like the more physically developed of the two.
That difference in build helped send their careers in different directions. Curiel chose LSU to add strength and size, while Griffin backed away from his Baton Rouge commitment and headed straight into pro ball. Now, there’s a chance they end up back on the same big-league stage sooner rather than later.
Griffin praised Curiel’s effort and drew a comparison to Jake Mangum, the Pirates’ current center fielder. The profile is familiar: speed, contact skills, and not a lot of power or the kind of arm strength that usually comes with the position.
Curiel’s appeal, though, is that he’s still early in the process. He hasn’t yet been shaped by a big-league development system, and some evaluators viewed him as the best contact hitter in the draft. He’s also added 20 pounds of muscle, and that extra strength is beginning to show up in his power.
Curiel joins flamethrower Seth Hernandez as a potential headliner in the Pirates’ next prospect wave. That matters now, because the organization’s pipeline is already thinning. Eight of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Pirates prospects from 2025 have either reached the 26-man roster or are on the 40-man with a real chance to see the majors this year.
Hernandez, Edward Florentino, Sammy Stafura, and Levi Sterling - who also happened to be on that 2023 U18 team - are still some years away. But with Curiel now in the picture, the Pirates may have another piece for the long haul.
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