LAS VEGAS - The Toronto Blue Jays are leaving Las Vegas with Elvis.
Right-hander Elvis Luciano was selected Thursday by the Blue Jays from the Kansas City Royals with the ninth pick of the winter meeting draft of unprotected players.
An 18-year-old Dominican, Luciano signed with Arizona in October 2016 for an $85,000 bonus. He was traded with left-hander Gabe Speier to Kansas City last June for left fielder Jon Jay. Luciano was 5-5 with a 3.90 ERA in 12 starts and one relief appearance this year for a pair of rookie-level teams. He struck out 70 and walked 23 in 67 innings.
Luciano was among 14 players picked in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft. The cost of each player selected is $100,000, and a player must remain in the major leagues for all of next season or be offered back to his former team for $50,000.
Baltimore selected shortstop Richie Martin from Oakland with the first pick. The 23-year-old Martin hit .300 with six homers, 42 RBI and 25 stolen bases this year for Double-A Midland of the Texas League.
Also picked were right-hander Sam McWilliams (Kansas City from Tampa Bay), right-hander Jordan Romano (Chicago White Sox from Toronto, then traded to Texas), right-hander Riley Ferrell (Miami from Houston), right-hander Reed Garrett (Detroit from Texas), catcher Connor Joe (Cincinnati from Los Angeles Dodgers), right-hander Chris Ellis (Texas from St. Louis), left-hander Travis Bergen (San Francisco from Toronto), right-hander Kyle Dowdy (New York Mets from Cleveland), shortstop Drew Jackson (Philadelphia from Dodgers), right-hander Nick Green (Arizona from New York Yankees), right-hander Brandon Brennan (Seattle from Colorado) and center fielder Andrew Ferguson (San Francisco from Houston).
Two of the picks were then dealt to other teams. Ellis was sent to Kansas City for cash and Jackson to Baltimore for international signing bonus allocation.