NEW YORK — The waiver wire shuffle continues for two outfielders with ties to the Yankees. One heads back to the defending World Series champions. The other finally gets some stability after a chaotic winter.
The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed outfielder Michael Siani off waivers from New York on Tuesday. It marks the third time this offseason the two MLB powerhouses have played tug of war over the 26-year-old. Meanwhile, former top Giants prospect Marco Luciano cleared waivers and will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Both transactions highlight how thin the margins are for players on the roster bubble. One bad week can mean a new home. Sometimes it means three new homes in a single month.
Siani bounces between contenders for third time
If you are a baseball player, landing with the Dodgers sounds pretty good. Landing with the Yankees sounds even better. Michael Siani has done both multiple times since early January.
The Dodgers first claimed him off waivers from the Atlanta Braves on December 12. He spent more than a month in the L.A. organization before they needed to make room for a significant acquisition. That little-known outfielder was named Kyle Tucker.
Los Angeles designated Siani for assignment on January 21. Two days later, the Yankees grabbed him off the wire. He spent just five days in pinstripes before New York needed a roster spot for reliever Angel Chivilli, acquired from the Colorado Rockies.
The Yankees designated Siani on January 28. Almost a week went by with no claims. Then the Dodgers circled back and took him off New York’s hands on Tuesday.
Why two MLB giants keep fighting over Siani
The numbers do not scream everyday player. Siani owns a .547 OPS across 160 Major League games with the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals. He hit just .221 with two home runs over parts of four seasons.
His defense tells a different story. Siani grades out as an elite center fielder with excellent range and a strong arm. Teams like the Dodgers and Yankees value that skill set as insurance for deep playoff runs.
In 2025, Siani appeared in 19 games for St. Louis. He batted .235 with four runs and two walks in limited action. The Cardinals spent most of the year using him at Triple-A Memphis, where he hit .209 with eight home runs and 28 stolen bases in 101 games.
The Philadelphia native still has minor league options remaining. That flexibility makes him attractive to contenders building playoff depth.
Former blue chip prospect finally gets off the carousel
Marco Luciano knows exactly how Siani feels. The 24-year-old spent the entire winter riding the designated for assignment merry-go-round. On Tuesday, the Yankees announced that Luciano cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Giants originally put him on waivers in early December. The Pirates claimed him. Then the Orioles. Then the Yankees. Each team grabbed him only to designate him again within days.
Now he finally knows where to report when Spring Training opens next week.
Luciano’s fall from top prospect to roster afterthought
It was not supposed to be this way. The Giants signed Luciano as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic for $2.6 million in 2018. He ranked as the No. 2 international prospect in his class. San Francisco envisioned him as the heir apparent to Brandon Crawford at shortstop.
Luciano dominated the Arizona League as a teenager in 2019. He led the league with 46 runs while slashing .322/.438/.616. He appeared in the All-Star Futures Game in 2021. Multiple outlets ranked him as the Giants’ top prospect for four consecutive seasons.
The promotion to the majors did not go smoothly. In 41 MLB games between 2023 and 2024, Luciano hit just .217/.286/.304. He struck out in 35.7% of his 126 plate appearances. The power that made scouts drool never translated. He has yet to hit his first MLB home run.
His defense at shortstop forced the Giants to move him to left field. San Francisco signed Willy Adames to take over the position long-term.
Yankees see upside in right-handed bat
Over the past two seasons at Triple-A, Luciano showed flashes of the talent that made him a blue chip prospect. He hit 33 home runs in 939 plate appearances in the Pacific Coast League. He walked at an excellent 16% clip.
The strikeouts remain a concern. Luciano punched out 29.1% of the time at Triple-A. His combined .229/.354/.400 line translated to a 101 wRC+, essentially league average production.
The Yankees are willing to take a chance on that raw power. New York announced him as an infielder/outfielder. They may try him at multiple positions to maximize his versatility.
Luciano hits from the right side. The Yankees have a fairly left-heavy lineup and have been seeking righty bats all winter. They were linked to free agents Paul Goldschmidt, Randal Grichuk and Austin Slater.
Both players face uphill battles for roster spots
Siani will likely start the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City if he remains with the Dodgers. His defensive prowess could earn him a call-up as a September roster addition or potential playoff depth piece.
Luciano faces a longer road. He is out of minor league options after exhausting all three over the past three seasons. If the Yankees add him to the 40-man roster at any point, they cannot send him down without exposing him to waivers again.
The good news: Luciano has less than a year of service time. If he breaks through, the Yankees could control him for six seasons before he reaches free agency.
The waiver wire giveth and the waiver wire taketh away. For Siani, the carousel continues in Los Angeles. For Luciano, the spinning finally stopped in the Bronx.
Spring Training opens next week. Both players will get a chance to prove they belong on a big league roster. The clock is ticking.
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