Track Record: For the two seasons prior to Luciano's signing, the Giants weren't allowed to sign any international prospect for $300,000. When the restrictions expired, the team opened its wallet and signed a star-studded class that included Luciano as well as outfielders Luis Matos and Jairo Pomares. The Giants skipped Luciano over the DSL and immediately to the Rookie-level Arizona League, where he thrived and ranked as the league's No. 2 prospect behind only the Padres' CJ Abrams. He finished the year with a cameo at short-season Eugene. In 2020, Luciano was invited to San Francisco's alternate training site. He was the youngest player in camp, and the assignment was especially significant because spots were finite and he had no real chance to contribute to the big league team. Luciano started slowly in 2021 before catching fire at Low-A San Jose, where he ranked as the league's No. 2 prospect behind Oakland's Tyler Soderstrom. He scuffled somewhat after a promotion to High-A and then again during a stint in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Luciano has developed a reputation as a bit of a slow starter, but once he gets going it's easy to see why he's valued so highly. He has a strong ability to make a game plan at the plate, and if he gets a pitch in his zone he's going to crush it. His raw power is easily double-plus, and he's capable of hitting balls out to any part of the park. That said, plenty of refinement is needed before he reaches his ceiling. Though Luciano can recognize breaking balls, he will sometimes get over-eager and chase out of the zone. There are some moving parts in his load that can cause his timing to get out of whack, but he has the hand speed to catch up to even the best fastballs. His 90.1 mph average and 115 mph maximum exit velocities in 2021 show a player capable of doing plenty of damage when he connects. Defensively, Luciano has roughly a coin flip's shot of staying at shortstop. He has the arm strength for the left side, but his internal clock leaves much to be desired. His feet don't often catch up with his body, either, leaving him in awkward positions to make throws across the diamond. Rival managers in the Low-A West saw plenty of athleticism and ability in the field, but those traits still need to be honed into consistent, usable skills. None of this is unexpected for a player who didn't turn 20 until season's end and missed out on a key year of in-game development because of the coronavirus pandemic. Luciano isn't the speediest runner and grades out as below-average at his best. If he does have to move off of shortstop, third base is the likeliest destination because of his arm strength and the way his power is likely to profile at the position.
The Future: After ending 2021 in High-A, Luciano is likely to return to the level to begin 2022. He'll look to make his play more consistent and show more frequent peeks at the perennial all-star-caliber player he can be when everything is working the way it did during most of his time at San Jose.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 40. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60.
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