Scouting Report: Wander Franco, SS

Wander Franco is an elite young talent and has been on scout’s radars since before he was a teenager. He has an incredible bloodline and even more impressive natural talents. Both of his brothers played in the minor leagues, as did his father and he has two uncles, Willy, and Erick Aybar, who made it to the big leagues. He signed out of the Dominican Republic on July 2, 2017, when he was 16 and made his professional debut in 2018 at age 17. Since then he’s been dominant and has quickly risen through the Rays’ minor league system. He’s slashed .336/.405/.539 across 3 levels (Rookie, A, and A+) and could make an impact in Tampa by 2021.

Here’s the scouting report we compiled on him before the 2019 season:

Hit: 70

Wander is a switch hitter with quick hands and smooth mechanics from both sides of the plate. He flashes well above average to elite bat speed with a smooth load and line drive approach. He could eventually compete for batting titles at the Major League level in his prime.

Power: 70

Another plus plus tool that comes from his quick hands and natural loft in his swing. Could hit 30+ home runs a year once he fully matures despite his relatively small size (5'10" 190lbs).

Speed: 60

Not elite speed and probably not going to be much of a threat to steal bases but he’ll turn a few singles into doubles and go first to third with regularity.

Arm: 60

The arm is his 4th plus tool, it’s quick and accurate which allows him to make all the throws from SS. Not going to blow anyone away but it gets the job done.

Glove: 50

He’s average at SS right now, though he has good footwork and is quick, his lack of length and range can become an issue. He’ll stick at SS in the big leagues but there might be better defensive options.

FV: 70

Comparison: Prime Robinson Cano but at SS

Wander Franco has the potential to be an elite talent and legitimate 5 tool star at the Major League level. He has rare gifts at the plate with the potential to regularly hit .300 with 30+ home runs. Combine that with his plus arm and speed all while playing a solid SS and you have a generational talent. The ability to hit for average and power with a plus arm and speed reminds me of a young Robinson Cano (though Franco probably sticks at SS while Cano couldn’t). From 2010–2013, Cano slashed .312/.373/.533 while averaging 30 home runs a year. I think that is the kind of production we could see once Franco finds his stride in Tampa.