Los Angeles Dodgers
After two years at Oregon,DeLuca was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 25th round,with the 761st overall selection,of the 2019 MLB draft and signed. [3] [4]
DeLuca made his professional debut with the rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers in 2019,where he hit .273 in 26 games. [5] DeLuca did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [6] He returned to action in 2021 to play for the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and High-A Great Lakes Loons,hitting a combined .264 in 101 games with 22 home runs and 64 runs batted in (RBI). [5] DeLuca started the 2022 season with Great Lakes before being promoted to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. Between the two levels,he played in 98 games and hit .260 with 25 home runs and 71 RBI. [5]
On November 15,2022,the Dodgers added DeLuca to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. [7] He returned to Tulsa to begin the 2023 season [8] and was promoted to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers on May 16. [9] After 17 games,DeLuca was called up to the major leagues for the first time on June 4. [10] DeLuca made his debut against the Cincinnati Reds on June 7 as the starting centerfielder. [11] He was hitless in two at-bats with a walk in his debut. [12] His first major league hit was a single to center field off of Ranger Suárez of the Philadelphia Phillies on June 9. [13] On July 4,2023,DeLuca hit his first MLB home run off Ángel Perdomo of the Pittsburgh Pirates. [14] He played in a total of 24 games in the majors,hitting .262 with two homers and six RBI before being optioned back to the minors. [15] Between the two minor league levels he played at in 2023,he appeared in 73 games and hit .294 with 17 homers and 53 RBI. [5]
Tampa Bay Rays
On December 16,2023,the Dodgers traded DeLuca and Ryan Pepiot to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Tyler Glasnow and Manuel Margot. [16] DeLuca made 107 appearances for Tampa Bay during the 2024 campaign,batting .217/.278/.331 with six home runs,31 RBI,and 16 stolen bases. [17]
DeLuca played in nine games for the Rays to begin 2025,hitting .435 with one RBI and four stolen bases. On April 8,2025,he was placed on the injured list due to a right shoulder strain. [18] DeLuca was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 27. [19] He was activated from the injured list on July 25. [20] In 20 appearances for Tampa Bay,DeLuca batted .333/.356/.456 with four RBI and six stolen bases. On August 8,DeLuca was placed back on the injured list due to a left hamstring strain. [21] He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on September 13,officially ending his season. [22]
