The Pirates are designating outfielder Marco Luciano and infielder Tsung-Che Cheng for assignment, as first reflected on the MLB.com transaction log. Pittsburgh needed to open two spots on the 40-man roster after this morning’s three-team trade that netted Brandon Lowe, Mason Montgomery and Jake Mangum.
Luciano, 24, was a waiver claim from the Giants a couple weeks ago. It was a no-risk flier on a former top prospect who has yet to show much at the big league level. Luciano once ranked among the sport’s top 15 minor league talents at Baseball America. He was then a teenage shortstop with massive raw power upside in a 6’1″ frame. His bat has stalled against higher level pitching and he has moved to left field after struggling with errors on the dirt.
San Francisco gave Luciano limited looks in 2023 and ’24. He hit .217/.286/.304 while striking out 45 times in 126 trips to the plate. The Giants kept him in Triple-A for the entire 2025 season. Luciano connected on 23 home runs while walking more than 15% of the time, but he struck out at a near-31% rate. He whiffed on more than 35% of his swings against Triple-A pitching. While Luciano hits the ball hard when he makes contact, the swing-and-miss and limited defensive profile have dropped his stock. He’s also out of minor league options, so he’ll need to stick on an MLB roster or continue bouncing around via DFA limbo.
Cheng is also a 24-year-old who had some prospect attention not too long ago. He was never as well regarded as Luciano was early in his career, yet he ranked among Pittsburgh’s top 10 prospects as recently as 2024. A lefty-hitting infielder, he appeared in his first three big league contests in April. He went 0-7 with three strikeouts and was caught stealing in his only attempt. He spent the rest of the season at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he managed a .207/.305/.267 line with one home run in 406 plate appearances.
The Taiwanese-born Cheng is a good athlete and a versatile defender, but he has been a below-average hitter since reaching the Double-A level in 2023. He has one option year remaining. Pittsburgh has five days to trade or waive both players.
Didn’t they just sign Luciano?
Yeah but he’s a classic 40th man in the roster type who they can keep trying to push through waivers.
DFA claim, yeah. Back on the DFA train! Go get him Preller, it’d be a serious kick to have him blow up big down here!
No, let him fly back to the Giants. That would be hilarious!
Claimed vs. signed.. so it was a no risk no $ move.
Suwinski lives another day
Hey, what’s up with that? Will this be the year? I mean the year he finally proves he’s not worth a roster spot.
That wasn’t last year?
how?
Really hate Luciano didn’t get a chance to prove himself in Spring Training with Pirates. Hopefully another team will give Luciano an opportunity
Prime example of how Zaidi failed Luciano by not developing his game. Zaidi never could determine what was best position for Luciano
You think his position uncertainty is why his bat never developed?
1 Tool player.
Not much room in MLB for that.
Can’t just hit it hard, have to hit it often.
No other defensive skills above average.
Overhyped from day one. This should be a lesson for SFG about young prospects, and dealing them when they have value.
oldgfan, I’ve got to disagree greatly with that take. Scouting reports praised his bat speed, and raw power, as well as his arm strength. I don’t think the problem was his physicality, But his ability to handle the big stage mentally.
That doesn’t explain his struggles last year in AAA
Pirates will give him a chance if he doesn’t get claimed.
Redwolves… your bias is showing again.
Farhan was PBO. PBOs don’t determine what position is best for a player. The coaches do. Not to mention, Luciano was a bad defender to begin with, so perhaps he shouldn’t have played himself out of a position.
Plus, if it was just an issue of position, why would Buster DFA him, since if it were that simple, that’s a very solvable problem?
Cheng was put on the roster at least a year ago and has never even hit in the minors.
He evidently is a good fielder,but has no potential for being a ML hitter.
Luciano is one of those guys that has the tools, but IMO not the mental aspect for an MLB regular. Not saying he’s dumb, in fact he was described as having a high baseball IQ, but he just always seemed a bit overwhelmed without the ability to relax and just play the game.
His scouting report said lightning quick bat, plus plus power, fringy speed with good range, and arm strength good for the left side. Although there was some disagreement on whether he’d stick at SS, but that’s true for a lot of guys that had decent careers. No wonder the Giants liked, and continued to hold on to him. It’s a shame to see that potential, and not see it fulfilled.
He hasn’t played many games at the big league level. Years ago rye dog was going on about his home run power, at single a. Can he field, can he steal a base, can he put the ball in play. My last year in ball was when I was a sophomore in high school. I hit 260. Had a gold glove, but no power. Could steal, could bunt, could squeeze, could safety squeeze, I would get one hit a game, and one walk a game. You play ball until the door closes. What a grind, being a pro athlete. It was my calling, and then I graduated and moved on. Entertainers are not to be taken seriously. They all into witchcraft.
Had us until that last sentence bucko. To a point I agree but not every single baseball player is some behind the scenes wacko evil person