O's claim former top prospect Marco Luciano off waivers from Pirates

Field Level Media
08 Jan 2026, 03:10 GMT+10

(Photo credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images)

The Baltimore Orioles claimed outfielder Marco Luciano, a former top minor league prospect, off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.

In other moves, the Orioles sent left-hander Josh Walker outright to Triple-A Norfolk and designated outfielder Jhonkensy Noel for assignment two days after claiming him off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians.

Luciano, 24, batted .217 in 41 career games for the San Francisco Giants in 2023 and 2024, with three RBIs, a .286 on-base percentage and .304 slugging percentage.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Luciano batted .214 with 23 homers, 66 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 13 attempts in 125 games in 2025 for Sacramento of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

San Francisco had signed Luciano as an infielder for $2.6 million in 2018. He became the club's No. 1 prospect and included in MLB Pipeline's top prospects before the organization saw him as a better fit in the outfield.

The Pirates had claimed Luciano off waivers from the Giants on Dec. 5.

Walker, 31, is a career 0-1 with a 6.59 ERA, 14 walks and 31 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings for the New York Mets (2023-24) and Toronto Blue Jays (2025). He was traded from the Blue Jays to the Philadelphia Phillies on May 29, 2025.

He bounced on waivers from the Phillies to the Orioles in August, then to the Atlanta Braves in November, and the Braves to the Orioles on Dec. 10.

Noel, 24, batted .193 in parts of two seasons with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024 and 2025, totaling 19 home runs, 41 RBIs, a .242 on-base percentage and .401 slugging percentage.

--Field Level Media

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