Miami star Daniel Cuvet drafted in 5th round of MLB Draft by Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals added one of the more accomplished power hitters in college baseball on Sunday, selecting Miami third baseman Daniel Cuvet in the fifth round of the 2026 MLB Draft. After entering the season viewed as one of the nation's top corner infield prospects, Cuvet came off the board with the 138th overall pick.

Cuvet is one of the most productive hitters of the J.D. Arteaga era. The Fort Lauderdale native burst onto the national scene by setting Miami's freshman home run record with 24 long balls in 2024 before following it with another standout season in 2025. He hit .372 with 18 home runs, 20 doubles and 84 RBIs while earning first-team All-ACC honors, as well as multiple First Team All-America selections.

Despite missing time with a stress fracture in his back in 2026, Cuvet hit .305 with a .437 on-base percentage, a .649 slugging percentage, 12 home runs and 45 RBIs in 41 games during his junior season.

Nationals select Daniel Cuvet in 5th round

By the time his Hurricanes career ended, Cuvet had cemented his place in the record book. He finished with a .347 batting average, a 1.143 OPS, 54 home runs, 204 RBIs, 49 doubles and 157 runs scored in 159 games. His 54 home runs rank third in school history behind only Phil Lane (62) and Pat Burrell (61), while his 204 RBIs rank fourth behind Mike Fiore, Randy Guerra and Yonder Alonso.

Scouts have viewed his swing-and-miss tendencies and plate discipline as the primary reasons he lasted until the fifth round despite his elite college production. 

Cuvet has some experience with the draft process already. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the 17th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Elite Squad Baseball Academy, but he honored his commitment to Miami instead.

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