Marco Luciano

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Marco Luciano

|image = Marco Luciano interview (cropped).png

|caption = Luciano with Leones del Escogido in 2023

|team = San Francisco Giants

|number = 37

|position = Shortstop

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|9|10}}

|birth_place = San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = July 26

|debutyear = 2023

|debutteam = San Francisco Giants

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2024 season

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .217

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 0

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 3

|teams =

San Francisco Giants ({{mlby|2023}}–present)

}}

Marco José Luciano (born September 10, 2001) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He signed with the Giants as an international free agent in 2018, and made his MLB debut in 2023.

Early life

Marco José Luciano was born on September 10, 2001, in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic.

Professional career

=Minor leagues=

Luciano was ranked as one of the top international prospects in his class. He signed with the San Francisco Giants in July 2018 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic for a signing bonus of $2.6 million when he was 16 years old.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/player/marco-luciano-682617|title=Marco Luciano Stats, Fantasy & News|website=MiLB.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/giants-to-sign-outfielder-marco-luciano-c283477838|title=Giants agree with No. 2 int'l prospect Luciano|website=MLB.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/06/27/san-francisco-giants-marco-luciano-shortstop-international-prospect-mlb-trade-rumors/|title=Power-hitting teenager Marco Luciano gives San Francisco Giants a reason to dream|date=June 27, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/giants-international-prospect-marco-luciano-c295983362|title=For Giants, Luciano was love at first sight|website=MLB.com}} He underwent hernia surgery the following month.

He made his professional debut with the Arizona League Giants in 2019. Luciano led the league with 46 runs and batted .322/.438/.616 in 178 at bats, with 10 home runs (third in the league), 38 RBIs (4th), and 27 walks (7th).{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?id=5a17c1f0&type=bat|title=2019 Arizona League Batting Leaders|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/giants-no-3-prospect-marco-luciano-drawing-comparisons-alfonso-soriano|title=Comparing Giants prospect Luciano to seven-time All-Star|date=July 6, 2019|website=NBCS Bay Area}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/giants-prospect-marco-luciano-receives-rave-reviews-farhan-zaidi|title=Giants star 17-year-old prospect Luciano praised by Zaidi|date=June 22, 2019|website=NBCS Bay Area}} He ended the season as the youngest position player (age 17) in the Northwest League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2020/giants/marco-luciano-682617|title=Giants Top Prospects|website=MLB.com}} He was named an ACL post-season All Star, a Baseball America Rookie All Star, and an MiLB Organization All Star.

Luciano did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Luciano started 2021 with the San Jose Giants (Low-A).{{cite web | url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/Future-face-of-the-franchise-Marco-Luciano-16296523.php | title=Future face of the franchise? Marco Luciano pursues his Giants destiny | date=July 7, 2021 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/marco-luciano-best-player-san-jose-giants-manager-has-ever-coached | title=Luciano 'far better' than SJ Giants manager has ever coached | date=July 26, 2021 }} In June, Luciano was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game.{{cite web | url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/giants/article/Future-Giants-Marco-Luciano-and-Heliot-Ramos-on-16307605.php | title=Future Giants Marco Luciano, Heliot Ramos on display in MLB's talent showcase | work=San Francisco Chronicle | date=July 11, 2021 | last1=Shea | first1=John }} In August, Luciano was promoted to the Eugene Emeralds (High-A).{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/08/04/sf-giants-top-prospect-marco-luciano-earns-a-promotion/|title=SF Giants top prospect Marco Luciano earns a promotion|website=mercurynews.com|publisher=The Mercury News|first=Kerry|last=Crowley|date=August 4, 2021|accessdate=August 6, 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://www.dailyemerald.com/sports/getting-a-glimpse-at-giants-top-prospect-marco-luciano-in-his-high-a-debut/article_fc0b0010-fac8-11eb-975b-770a09a9bc46.html | title=Getting a glimpse at Giants top prospect Marco Luciano in his High-A debut | work=Daily Emerald | last1=Hill | first1=Mojo }}

In 2021, Luciano hit .258/.344/.471 in 453 plate appearances with 19 home runs and 71 RBIs.{{Cite web|title=Marco Luciano Minor Leagues Statistics & History|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lucian000mar|access-date=October 10, 2021|website=Baseball-Reference.com|language=en}} He was named a CAL post-season All Star, and an MiLB Organization All Star. He was selected to participate in the 2021 Arizona Fall League for the Scottsdale Scorpions, where he was the youngest player in the league.{{Cite web|title=Here are the Arizona Fall League rosters|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/arizona-fall-league-rosters-2021-prospect-loaded|access-date=October 10, 2021|website=MLB.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2021/10/22/22741127/giants-marco-luciano-arizona-fall-league|title=AFL weekly round-up|first=Brady|last=Klopfer|date=October 22, 2021|website=McCovey Chronicles}}

In 2022 he played for Giants Black and Eugene. Luciano hit .269/.350/.467 in 227 at bats, with 11 home runs and 36 RBIs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lucian000mar|title=Marco Luciano Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} He missed half the season with a lower back injury.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/farhan-zaidi-reveals-ideal-marco-luciano-kyle-harrison-2023-season-plan|title=Zaidi reveals where Luciano, Harrison ideally will begin 2023|website=RSN|date=September 24, 2022 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/giants/news/sf-giants-prospects-marco-luciano-promoted|title=SF Giants top prospect Marco Luciano promoted to Double-A|first=Marc|last=Delucchi|website=Sports Illustrated San Francisco Giants News, Analysis and More|date=September 20, 2022 }} He was ranked # 1 in the Giants 2022 MLB Prospect Rankings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/prospects/giants/]|title=Giants Top Prospects|website=MLB.com}} On November 15, 2022, the Giants added Luciano to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{Cite web|title=SF Giants protect Marco Luciano, Luis Matos, and several other prospects from Rule 5 Draft|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/giants/news/sf-giants-marco-luciano-luis-matos-tristan-beck-jose-cruz-keaton-winn-brett-wisely-rule-5-draft|access-date=July 14, 2023|website=si.com|date=November 16, 2022 |language=en}}

Luciano was optioned to the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Giants' Marco Luciano: Optioned to minors|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/giants-marco-luciano-optioned-to-minors/amp/|access-date=March 12, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} In 56 games, he batted .228/.339/.451 with 11 home runs, 32 RBI, and 6 stolen bases. On July 18, 2023, Luciano was promoted to the Triple–A Sacramento River Cats.{{cite web | last=Murphy | first=Bryan | title=Marco Luciano promoted to Triple-A Sacramento | website=McCovey Chronicles | date=2023-07-18 | url=https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2023/7/18/23799254/marco-luciano-promoted-to-triple-a-sacramento-san-francisco-giants-top-hitting-prospect | access-date=2024-08-05}}

=San Francisco Giants (2023–present)=

After only 6 games in Sacramento, the Giants promoted Luciano to the major leagues for the first time.{{cite web | last=Axisa | first=Mike | title=Giants call up top prospect Marco Luciano after short stint in Triple-A | website=CBSSports.com | date=2023-07-26 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/giants-call-up-top-prospect-marco-luciano-after-short-stint-in-triple-a/amp/ | access-date=2024-08-05}} In 14 games during his rookie campaign, Luciano hit .231/.333/.308 with one stolen base.

Luciano was optioned to Triple–A Sacramento to begin the 2024 season after Nick Ahmed won the starting shortstop job out of spring training.{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Steve |date=2024-03-28 |title=Giants Option Marco Luciano, Select Nick Ahmed, Release Pablo Sandoval |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/giants-option-marco-luciano-select-nick-ahmed-release-pablo-sandoval.html |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}} In 27 appearances for the Giants, he slashed .211/.259/.303 with three RBI.

Luciano was again optioned to Triple-A Sacramento to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Giants send down top prospects Bryce Eldridge, Marco Luciano. What's the plan now?|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6178231/2025/03/05/sf-giants-cut-prospects-bryce-eldridge-marco-luciano/|access-date=March 7, 2025|website=The New York Times|language=en |last1=Baggarly |first1=Andrew |date=March 5, 2025 }}