Though he signed for a mere $45,000 out of the Dominican Republic, Luciano quickly has become one of the most intriguing players in Houston's 2022 international class. He earned Rookie-level Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his pro debut, then ranked second in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League with 10 homers after coming to the United States last summer. He smokes balls harder than most teenagers, already producing average exit velocities by big league standards and maxing out at 110 mph.
Luciano's power is his most obvious tool, as he not only hits balls hard from the right side of the plate but also has a penchant for driving them in the air to his pull side, giving him at least 25-30 homer upside. Though he batted just .238 in his first two pro seasons, the Astros are encouraged by his bat-to-ball skills. His swing got out of whack and he was making too much suboptimal contact in the first half of the 2024, so Houston had him spent a month on the development list to get back on track.
Heftier than his listed 170 pounds, Luciano currently has fringy speed and will have to watch his conditioning so he doesn't lose his quickness and limit his defensive options. Houston would like to see him get leaner and more athletic to enhance his chances of sticking at third base, where he has average-to-solid arm strength. Right field would be Plan B if he slows down and he saw action there last summer.
