Third Baseman Maikel Franco Ready to Take the Lead for the Phillies
Two and a half years ago, Maikel Franco dug into the batter’s box at Turner Field, peering out to Mike Minor of the Atlanta Braves, hoping to make his mark in Major League Baseball.
He would ground out to end the inning and go on to finish the first game of his MLB career 0-3 with one RBI on a sacrifice fly.
He’s not a guy that came out of nowhere, however. Franco has always been touted as one of the top prospects in the organization, peaking at number three, and reaching the top 100 list.
A snapshot of his career thus far would look like this:
- In 2010, Maikel Franco signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an international free agent at the tender age of 18, filled with so much potential.
- In September 2014, Franco appeared in 16 games, hitting a mere .179/.190/.214.
- In 2016, he was a full-time starter who produced on offense, smacking 25 home runs and driving in 88.
Starting out slow, Philadelphia questioned whether he was facing rookie jitters, or was only going to be another overhyped bust. Then he showed some spark as a starter at third base.
Well, he’s got a whole lot more coming to the City of Brotherly Love.
Today- and beyond- he’s joined his teammates in sunny Clearwater, Florida gearing up for what should be an illustrious career in professional baseball, officially taking the reins as the face of the Phillies from the hands of three time all-star, World Series champion Ryan Howard, who’s been a staple in the middle of the lineup for 12 years.
Through the first four weeks of Spring Training, Franco has come out strong. Franco has only logged 10 at-bats, but he’s made each one count, already slamming three homers, driving in four and striking out only twice in the process.
It’s not the numbers that have impressed so far, but how quickly Franco has started. In the first game against the New York Yankees, Franco had two home runs, one of which was inside-the-park. Franco has shown no signs of offseason rust, showing up ready to play ball.
Spring ball usually means position competition for roster spots, but now as a “veteran,” Franco can relax. He will be the starter at third base, no doubt. He is, after Howard’s official release, one of the elder statesmen on the team alongside the longest-tenured Freddy Galvis.
The Phillies have arguably not had a steady glove at the hot corner since Scott Rolen in 2002, and before that, Mike Schmidt. Franco will finally remedy that situation for the foreseeable future, as a cornerstone to the next potential championship Phillies team.
Franco also has the ability to play first base, but with Tommy Joseph in the fold, he can focus on honing his craft on the left side of the diamond.
Last year, Maikel Franco was one of the bright spots for the 71-91 Phillies, who look to be headed in the right direction going into this season. His offensive efforts led to 25 home runs, 88 RBI’s, and 40 walks in 152 games played. Franco was a .255/.306/.427 hitter with a .733 OPS.
Franco’s numbers are hampered a bit by a post all-star game slump, in which his batting average was down about 30 points and hitting only seven homers in 68 games. It’s not time to panic just yet, as he was probably dealing with first year struggles.
By many, he is considered one of the best fielding third baseman in the game as well, and his career numbers show nothing else with a .956 fielding percentage, committing only 24 errors in three seasons.
If Maikel Franco can make the next step forward in his second complete season and build on what has been a successful start to his career, Phillies fans have some big things to look forward to.
Consistency, consistency, consistency is what coaches will tell every ball player from a young age. If Franco can execute his skills over both halves of the season, it will be interesting to see the numbers he can put up for the red pinstripes.
The sky is the limit for Franco, and so far this Spring, he has lived up to expectations, albeit through limited work.
Maikel Franco is projected to hit in the middle of the lineup, according to reports, which will hopefully lead to him putting up bigger numbers in the process.
The Phillies open the season one month from today on Monday, April 3, in Cincinnati. The home opener will be against Washington on Friday, April 7.
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