The Philadelphia Phillies have no hope of contending in 2015, but that doesn't mean they can't throw their fans a bone. That bone will be arriving this weekend in the form of slugging third base prospect Maikel Franco, a 22-year-old who briefly appeared-and underwhelmed-last season.
Franco hit just .179 with no home runs in 58 plate appearances last season, but that small sample size shouldn't detract from this prospect. He has shown consistent power from Single-A through Triple-A, and this season proved he was ripe for a real shot at the MLB level.
In 33 games at Triple-A this year Franco was slashing .355/.384/.539 with four home runs and 24 RBI. He even stole two bases just to show off. Franco's .355 batting average is sure to come down since it's been bolstered by a .404 BABIP that's totally unsustainable. It is reasonable to expect an average in the .260-.270 range though, since he's shown that ability throughout his minor league stints.
Unlike most big-time slugging prospects, Franco doesn't strike out much. He whiffed 22 percent of the time in his brief MLB showcase, but in longer stretches in the minors Franco's strikeout percentage was in the low teens. His walk rate is an issue; Franco is taking a free pass in just five percent of his at-bats, and when he inevitably makes less contact at the big league level the lack of patience will hurt his on-base percentage.
Franco has major upside in a keeper format and becomes a must-add in those leagues. Beware of early struggles; a spike in strikeouts should be expected in the early going, and he may not get on base enough for owners' liking. Over time he will adjust and rake. Another factor working in Franco's favor is opportunity.
Since the Phillies are headed for a last-place finish, they will not have too quick a hook on him. He is young with raw power that grades near the top of the scouting scale. He'll provide some value in 2015, and tremendous value later on.
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