Elvis Luciano

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Elvis Luciano

|team = Yomiuri Giants

|number = 035

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|2|15}}

|birth_place = Boca Chica, Dominican Republic

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = March 31

|debutyear = 2019

|debutteam = Toronto Blue Jays

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2019 season

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 1–0

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 5.35

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 27

|teams =

Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|2019}})

}}

Elvis Enmanuel Luciano (born February 15, 2000) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Toronto Blue Jays, and was the first player born in the 2000s to appear in an MLB game and record a win.

Professional career

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

Luciano was signed as an international free agent on October 1, 2016, by the Arizona Diamondbacks.{{Cite web |title=Elvis Luciano |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/elvis-luciano-672773?stats=career-r-pitching-minors&year=2019 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |work=mlb.com}} He split this debut season of 2017 between the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Diamondbacks and AZL Diamondbacks, and the Rookie Advanced Missoula Osprey. He posted a combined 4–1 record with a 2.84 ERA in 66{{frac|2|3}} innings over 16 games (8 starts). Luciano opened the 2018 season in extended spring training.

=Kansas City Royals=

On June 6, 2018, the Arizona Diamondbacks traded Luciano and Gabe Speier to the Kansas City Royals for Jon Jay.{{Cite web |last=Torres |first=Maria |date=June 6, 2018 |title=Royals trade Jon Jay to Arizona for two minor-league pitchers |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article212713569.html |access-date=March 27, 2019 |publisher=kansascity.com}} He played for the Rookie Advanced Idaho Falls Chukars and Burlington Royals in 2018, combining to go 10–10 with a 3.90 ERA in 134 innings over 26 games (24 starts).

=Toronto Blue Jays=

The Blue Jays selected Luciano from the Royals organization in the 2018 Rule 5 draft. He was eligible because his first professional contract had been voided due to a medical issue.{{Cite web |last=Chisholm |first=Gregor |date=December 13, 2018 |title=In surprise move, Blue Jays take teen in Rule 5 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/blue-jays-get-elvis-luciano-in-rule-5-draft-c301831746 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |work=mlb.com}} Luciano made the Blue Jays' 2019 Opening Day roster,{{Cite web |last=Davidi |first=Shi |date=March 26, 2019 |title=Thornton to start season in rotation as Blue Jays roster takes shape |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/thornton-start-season-rotation-blue-jays-roster-takes-shape/ |access-date=March 27, 2019 |publisher=sportsnet.ca}} becoming the first active major league player born in the 2000s.{{Cite web |last=Adler |first=David |date=March 28, 2019 |title=Baseball says goodbye, literally, to 20th century |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/opening-day-2019-marks-new-generation-of-baseball |access-date=March 31, 2019 |website=MLB.com}} On March 31, Luciano made his major league debut at 19 years and 44 days old, throwing 1{{frac|1|3}} scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers. In doing so he became the youngest pitcher to appear in a game for the Blue Jays, as well as the youngest player to appear in a game during the 2019 MLB season.{{Cite news |last=Ashbourne |first=Nick |date=April 1, 2019 |title=Blue Jays teen Elvis Luciano shows promise in MLB debut |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/a-closer-look-at-elvis-lucianos-debut-132346279.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402185341/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/a-closer-look-at-elvis-lucianos-debut-132346279.html |archive-date=April 2, 2019 |access-date=April 28, 2019 |website=Yahoo Sports}}{{Cite web |title=Youngest MLB Player To Appear In A Game In 2019 |url=https://www.statmuse.com/e/m/tkYiCFDGq |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623154938/https://www.statmuse.com/e/m/tkYiCFDGq |archive-date=June 23, 2024 |access-date=June 23, 2024 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}

On April 28, 2019, Luciano earned his first major league win after recording the final out of the top of the 11th inning before the Blue Jays walked off the Oakland Athletics 5–4.{{Cite web |last=Pollard |first=Dave |date=April 28, 2019 |title=Drury, Smoak cap Jays' 11th-inning comeback over A's |url=https://nationalpost.com/sports/baseball/toronto-blue-jays/drury-smoak-combine-to-lift-jays-over-as/wcm/213c6ef2-e10d-479b-af1b-4ade87938fc2 |access-date=April 28, 2019 |website=National Post}} On June 12, 2019, Luciano went on the 10-day injured list due to a right elbow sprain. On June 17, he was transferred to the 60-day injured list. He was activated from the injured list on September 12. Luciano did not make an appearance for the Blue Jays in 2020.

Luciano made 11 starts for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, going 0-1 with a 3.41 ERA and 33 strikeouts. On August 23, 2021, Luciano was released by the Blue Jays,{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/minor-mlb-transactions-8-23-21.html|title = Minor MLB Transactions: 8/23/21| date=23 August 2021 }} and resigned to a new minor league contract on August 30.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/blue-jays-sign-gregory-polanco-to-minor-league-deal.html|title = Blue Jays Sign Gregory Polanco to Minor League Deal| date=31 August 2021 }}

In 2022, Luciano pitched only three innings over two starts for the Fisher Cats before being shut down for the rest of the season due to a stress fracture in his pitching arm.{{cite web | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/blue-jays-elvis-luciano-shut-down-with-stress-fracture/ | title=Blue Jays' Elvis Luciano: Shut down with stress fracture | date=10 May 2022 }} He elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.{{Cite web|title=2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-23-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/?amphtml|access-date=November 25, 2023|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 13, 2022 |language=en}}

=Yomiuri Giants=

On January 24, 2023, Luciano signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).{{cite web|url=https://beisboljapones.com/noticias/noticias/9747-yomiuri-firma-al-prospecto-dominicano-elvis-luciano|title=Yomiuri firma al prospecto dominicano Elvis Luciano|language=Spanish|work=beisboljapones.com|date=January 24, 2023|accessdate=March 25, 2023}}