Rule 5 pick Luciano makes Blue Jays, becomes 1st MLB player born in 2000

Elvis Luciano just made an impressive jump to the show.

The teenage right-hander, who has never pitched above the Rookie level, made the Toronto Blue Jays' Opening Day roster, manager Charlie Montoyo announced Tuesday.

Luciano, who turned 19 on Feb. 15, will become the first player in Major League Baseball history to have been born in the year 2000, according to TSN's Scott Mitchell.

"It feels great," Luciano told Sportsnet's Shi Davidi. "That's what I wanted all my life and I got it."

The Dominican right-hander was originally signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016 but was traded to the Kansas City Royals last June. Luciano posted a 3.90 ERA with 70 strikeouts (9.4 per nine innings) and 23 walks over 67 innings last season while splitting time between the Royals' short-season Rookie-level affiliates in the Appalachian League and Pioneer League.

Toronto selected Luciano from the Royals in the Rule 5 draft this past December. He's now ranked as the Blue Jays' 28th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline. Because he's a Rule 5 pick, Luciano must remain on the 25-man roster all season in order to stay with the organization; otherwise, Toronto must offer him back to Kansas City.

Luciano's status as a Rule 5 pick likely helped him crack the Blue Jays' roster after he struggled during spring training. He posted an 11.42 ERA and walked eight batters in 8 2/3 Grapefruit League innings, but did show some promise after recording 10 strikeouts.

The Blue Jays also announced Tuesday that left-hander Thomas Pannone and infielder Richard Urena have made the team out of spring training. One bullpen spot remains up for grabs ahead of Thursday's season opener; it's likely to be claimed by one of Javy Guerra or Bud Norris, according to Keegan Matheson of Baseball Toronto.