Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ATL | OF/1B | 14 | 45 |
Grades Update: Dec 2020
| OFP | Role | Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 45 | 55 | 55 | 45 | 50 |
Dec 2020 Report
Evaluator: Mike Kinsela
Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 215 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2020 Draft, Round 3
RuleV: 2023
Physical Description: Strong, athletic player with broad shoulders and obvious build throughout his trunk and lower half. Good combination of physical strength and athleticism throughout.
Hit: Franklin hit in spurts throughout his college career, performing extremely well for Michigan as well as on the Cape in 2018 before showing more power but less barrel accuracy through both stops in 2019. The swing can get long, potentially as a result of how wide he gets in his stance, and the hands can get a little tight through his stroke as well, but he's shown consistently ability to barrel baseballs with strength to all fields. There's variance here depending on how much Franklin wants to tap into his power. Grade: 45
Power: His power is likely his loudest tool at present, with excellent strength and above-average bat speed combining to give him plus raw power from the left side of the plate. He can drive the ball out to all fields and really launch it pull-side, and he's shown progression through his amateur career of getting the barrel in better spots to launch while retaining plate coverage. Grade: 55
Field: Franklin played first-base as a freshman following shoulder surgery on his throwing arm, but returned to center field in 2019 once fully healthy. He's more athletic than his physical, thick build might indicate, with a quick first step and good speed once underway, and his routes consistently improved throughout the course of his sophomore season. There's a chance for him to potentially be fringe in center field, but realistically he'll be a defensive asset in a corner. Grade: 55
Arm: Franklin had labrum surgery on his throwing shoulder prior to his freshman season at Michigan, and while he's been fully recovered from that injury for some time, his arm strength is still mostly in the 40-45 range. He shows good accuracy along with a quick release, but the arm will keep him in left field if he proves unable to play center long-term. Grade: 45
Run: Franklin has a quick first step and can move well for a player of his build, turning in times in the 55-60 range at times during his sophomore campaign. On the whole he's a half-tick above average as a runner right now, with solid-average projection long term as he matures. Grade: 50
Overall: Franklin brings a solid set of tools to the table along with a performance pedigree and universally-praised makeup, though the overall profile likely falls a little short of a solid-average regular. He should be able to hit 15-20 home runs a year while playing a solid left field, and should see some average years at his peak in terms of WAR output.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Utility / Platoon
Risk: Moderate
