Prospect Performance of the Year (to-date)
Jay will have more shortly over at Mariner Minors I’m sure, but I thought it was worth pointing out that near-unanimously unpopular 1st round draft pick Nick Franklin turned in the best offensive performance in recent Ms prospect history tonight. The 19-year-old went 4-4 for the Clinton Lumber Kings, with a double, a triple, and two home runs.
Single games in the minors don’t mean anything, but teenagers who can hit for power in the pitcher-friendly Midwest League are a rare commodity. Teenagers who can do so and play a competent shortstop are rarer still. If Franklin proves over the next few months that he has more power in him than scouts believed on draft day, we may have something special on our hands.
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I’m waiting on the other two games to go final before I post anything, but it’s worth noting that Franklin hit a home run from each side of the plate tonight.
Second reason for hope in the minor leagues this evening? Maikel Cleto’s line: 5 IP, 2 H, R, 7 K, 7/1 G/F
Couldn’t even hit for the cycle even though he had the three hardest parts of it out of the way after the sixth. Get back to me when he can complete that simple task.
Yes, I was going to make a note about his selfish decision not to stop at first on his second home run, but I thought that would just be nit-picking.
It’s great to get these kinds of reports. I don’t often have time to keep with prospects so it’s nice when you guys point out great performances. Thank you!
How is Ackley doing?
It’d be great if Franklin was ready to take over when Wilson’s contract ends. I know it’s really really wishfull thinking, but it’s nice to find diamonds in the rough. Just goes to show scouts do miss sometimes. That is, if he keeps this up…
I’ve always really liked the idea of Franklin, so this is awesome to hear.
Let’s just get a full team of people named Franklin. The name seems to lend itself towards an aptitude at baseball.
I guess that’s why a certain Franklin is usually referred to by the nickname Spiroid. We wouldn’t want Ryan mucking up the success ratio of the Franklin Greatness after all.
I don’t know. Steve Baron went 2-4 in the same game and we all know what a huge mistake he was, an overreach, drafted merely to save money, etc. The pitcher must have really sucked, that’s all.
Here is a Video of his Night… Look at the Right fielder run into the wall on the last home run lol…
It didn’t show up in the last comment so here it is again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pnBONwqexs
Jack-Z specialty!
I worked with Nick for a bit as a coach in the summer of 2007 and really liked him. Obviously he’s got the tools (he even pitched for us, 90 mph fastball), but he’s truly a ballplayer…much more than tools. Hard-nosed, competitive…I think he’s got a chance to be a real good one.
Be sure to be on the look-out for more videos of Nick Franklin in the future. I am aiming to attend all home games as I normally try to do, but sometimes scheduled overtime at work tries to get in the way of that, but I’ gotta keep trading people to be able to make it to all the home games & maybe some out of town ones whenever I get my car fixed. Thanks for checking out the 4-4 video.