LSU baseball used the offseason to do some shifting in the outfield amongst its starters from the 2025 national championship team.
Freshman All-American Derek Curiel moved to center field during the fall. Chris Stanfield, who made most starts in center field last year, took Curiel’s original spot in left field. Both players were considered everyday starters in 2025.
Both are versatile defenders for the Tigers, but the move shouldn’t come as a surprise. With Curiel poised to take on a larger role as he continues his collegiate career, LSU couldn’t pass up the chance to have a defender with an elite ceiling patrolling center field.
Curiel led off the batting order for much of 2025. He earned numerous freshman player of the year and freshman All-American nods for a stellar first year in Baton Rouge. He led the team with a 3.45 batting average and 20 doubles while also ranking in the top-three with 90 hits, 67 runs, and 55 RBI.
Stanfield returns for his final year of college baseball. He transferred to LSU ahead of the 2025 season after two years at Auburn, and he made an immediate impact as a leader on and off the field. He started all but one game and was voted to the Baton Rouge Regional All-Tournament Team for his performance in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.