Nick Franklin
| AB | 833 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .214 |
| OBP | .285 |
| SLG | .359 |
| HR | 24 |
- Full name Nicholas Edward Franklin
- Born 03/02/1991 in Sanford, FL
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: S / Throws: R
- School Lake Brantley
- Debut 05/27/2013
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Drafted in the 1st round (27th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2009 (signed for $1,280,000).
View Draft Report
An Auburn recruit, Franklin is the latest in a line of Lake Brantley High baseball stars that has included Jason Varitek, Felipe Lopez and brothers Rickie and Jemile Weeks. Franklin, who helped lead last year's team to a state 6-A title, has surpassed them all in terms of performance, hitting 10 homers this spring to lead Lake Brantley back to the state playoffs. A switch-hitter, Franklin has shown bat speed to catch up to good fastballs and uses the whole field. Scouts don't expect him to hit for even average power with wood, but he should have enough strength in his wiry frame to keep pitchers honest. Scouts have made comparisons to players such as Aaron Hill or Lopez offensively, though he has less power. He's an above-average runner with fast-twitch athleticism and the ability to stay at shortstop as a pro, which makes him likely to go out in the first two rounds. Franklin has infield actions, solid footwork that needs polish and more than enough arm strength for shortstop, as it grades above-average. Franklin's makeup resembles Hill's more than Lopez's, which is a strong positive.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Franklin signed for $1.28 million as the 27th overall pick in 2009 and led the Midwest League with 23 homers in his first full season. He found 2011 rockier while battling a concussion, mononucleosis and food poisoning, but got back on track in 2012 and reached Triple-A at age 21, making him the youngest position player in the Pacific Coast League. Franklin has a tightly wound build with quick-twitch athleticism and surprising strength. Those factors lead to sneaky power from his short, compact stroke. He projects to hit 15 homers a year in the big leagues while adding plenty of doubles. Though he's a switch-hitter, he has had little success from the right side because his stride gets too long. He might be more productive batting solely lefthanded. He's an adequate defender at shortstop, but he may fit better at second base because his range, hands and arm are all average. He's a solid runner with good instincts on the bases. He plays with a lot of confidence and can take his game up a notch when necessary. Expected to return to Triple-A, Franklin should reach Seattle by the second half of the season. He profiles as a solid regular who could play in a few All-Star Games. -
The 27th overall selection in the 2009 draft, Franklin signed for $1.28 million and set a Clinton record and led the Midwest League with 23 homers in his first full pro season. His 2011 season was a bit rockier, as a teammate's bat flew out of the cage during batting practice and struck Franklin in the jaw, resulting in a concussion. While on the disabled list, he had bouts with food poisoning and mononucleosis. He returned to steal the show in the Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars Game, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and an opposite-field homer off No. 1 overall pick Gerrit Cole. Franklin is a rare switch-hitting middle infielder with solid power. He utilizes a coiling leg kick that triggers an aggressive hip turn, allowing him to get the most of his size. He has good hand-eye coordination and hits the ball with authority to all parts of the park. He's much more productive batting lefthanded, and some scouts think he'd be best served by abandoning his righthanded swing. He's an average runner with fine instincts on the bases. Franklin's defense draws mixed reviews. His range and actions work at shortstop, but some evaluators feel his instincts and fringy arm would fit better at second base. He played both positions last year. With Dustin Ackley at second base, the Mariners would love for Franklin to stay at shortstop. He should reach Triple-A during 2012. -
The 27th overall pick and recipient of a $1.28 million bonus in 2009, Franklin surprisingly launched 23 homers in his first full pro season, breaking Dick Kenworthy's 49-yearold franchise record in the process. Franklin gets everything out of his 175-pound frame with above-average bat speed, nice whip in his barrel and good leverage. He swings hard, which inevitably leads to some strikeouts, but he has the hand-eye coordination to get away with it. Though his stroke can get a little long, he drives the ball hard to all fields. He can get too aggressive at the plate at times. A switch-hitter, he was more effective batting lefthanded in 2010 (.953 OPS, compared to .494 righthanded) but his swing is similar from both sides. An average runner, he has good instincts and was one of only three minor leaguers to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases last season. Franklin has solid actions and range at shortstop, though some scouts think his fringy arm will make him a second baseman. The Mariners promoted Franklin to Double-A for the Southern League playoffs and may let him stay there in 2011. He has the ability and maturity to handle the jump. -
Franklin helped Lake Brantley High (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) win the Florida 6-A title in 2008, then bashed 10 homers to lead it back to the playoffs last spring. The 27th overall pick in the draft, he passed on an Auburn commitment to sign at the Aug. 17 deadline for $1.28 million. The Mariners received the choice from the Phillies as compensation for free agent Raul Ibanez, whose signing six years ago cost Seattle its top pick in the 2004 draft. The Mariners drafted Franklin as high as they did because of his strong defensive tools, which include plus range to both sides as well as good actions and hands. He has the instincts to stick in the middle infield. A switch-hitter, he possesses a short, compact stroke from both sides, projecting as more of a singles and doubles hitter than true home run threat. His lefthanded swing is more refined than his righthanded stroke thanks to repetition. He's a tick above-average runner. A thin, wiry athlete, Franklin turned around good velocity while using metal bats, but he might top out near 10 homers with wood. Evaluations of his arm strength vary from below-average to a tick above, and his three-quarters arm slot costs him crispness and accuracy. He has less range going into the hole than to his glove side. The sum of Franklin's game is greater than the individual parts, and his gritty, enthusiastic style of play wins over most observers. Because his bat is more advanced, the Mariners may opt to send Franklin to low Class A Clinton in order to find playing time at shortstop for both him and Gabriel Noriega.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Franklin finished 2012 at Tacoma and returned there to start 2013 but had earned a callup to Seattle by the end of May, where he supplanted one-time top prospect Dustin Ackley. He held his own in the majors and wasn?t sent back down, shifting to second base in Seattle after splitting time between second and shortstop at Tacoma. Franklin hit his way to the majors with a quick bat through the strike zone. Showing excellent strike zone discipline, he was able to make consistent contact to all fields. He has projectable power, particularly from the left side. Managers were mixed on whether or not he could handle shortstop, and scouts believe he is better suited to second base, where his emerging power would be a big asset. The Mariners have played him exclusively at second in the majors. -
Since leading the low Class A Midwest League with 23 homers in his first full pro season in 2010, Franklin has totaled 18 homers in the last two years. He still has good pop for a middle infielder, though he might be more of a doubles threat than a home run hitter. A switch-hitter, he shows more life in his bat from the left side of the plate. Franklin split time between second base and shortstop at Tacoma. An average runner with an average arm, he can make the routine plays at shortstop but fits better at second base. Dustin Ackley's presence in Seattle may mean that Franklin will have to stick at short to win an everyday job in the majors. -
Coming off a solid season between Double-A Jackson and Triple-A Tacoma, the switch-hitting Franklin was a steady performer this fall for the AFL champion Javelinas, batting .338/.422/.519 with 22 RBI, second in the league. Offensively, the 2009 first rounder shows excellent line-drive ability and above-average power potential. Scouts express concerns over his ability to hit from the right side, where he has the tendency to drift forward and gets out front on pitches. Defensively, Franklin profiles best at second base with average hands and an average arm, but scouts agree his bat should carry him to Seattle in the immediate future. -
After taking a step back due in part to mononucleosis in 2011, Franklin got back on track at Jackson, where he'd made cameos the previous two seasons. His .896 OPS represented a career high and earned him a ticket to Triple-A in late June. Franklin hasn't come close to the matching the 23 homers he hit in 2010 to lead the low Class A Midwest League, but he has above-average bat speed and pepper the gaps, particularly from the left side of the plate. He's much less comfortable from the right side, from which he has hit just .207 during the last three seasons. He has an aggressive stroke from both sides of the plate but made strides with his plate discipline while at Jackson. Franklin's hands, arm and range all grade out as average, which usually isn't good enough to play regularly at shortstop in the majors. He fits better at second base and saw most of his Triple-A action there. He's a solid runner with good instincts on the bases. -
Franklin led the low Class A Midwest League with 23 homers in his full-season debut in 2010, breaking a 49-year-old Clinton franchise record. There was plenty of reason to believe he might put up bigger numbers upon his arrival in High Desert, one of the most hitter-friendly environments in the minors. He managed just five homers in 2½ months with the Mavericks, though, perhaps a result of the mononucleosis that would sideline him for nearly two months soon after his promotion to Double-A Jackson in late June. The rest of his game was as advertised, however. Franklin has an aggressive swing and makes hard contact to all fields. He's an average runner with good instincts on the basepaths, and he also covers a lot of ground at shortstop. He makes accurate throws though some scouts question whether he has enough arm strength for shortstop or will have to move to second base. -
Franklin was the 27th overall pick in the 2009 draft, but power wasn't supposed to be his strong suit. The 170-pound Franklin shocked the MWL by going deep 23 times, breaking Dick Kenworthy's 49-year-old franchise record and becoming the first teenaged middle infielder to win the league home crown. "He has the most amazing power for a guy who looks like he shouldn't have power," Cedar Rapids manager Bill Mosiello said. "His home runs go way out." Franklin is wiry strong and generates his power with quick hands, and he likes to attack fastballs early in the count. A switch-hitter, he has a more open stance and is much more effective hitting lefthanded (.318/.394/.559) than righthanded (.174/.221/.273). He may have to tone down his approach and focus more on making contact against better pitching. Thanks to solid-average speed and good instincts on the bases, he joined Brandon Belt and Danny Espinosa as the only 20-20 players in the minors this year. Franklin gets the job done at shortstop, but his solid-average arm and range probably will play better at second base in the major leagues.
Top 100 Rankings
Scouting Reports
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Background: Franklin signed for $1.28 million as the 27th overall pick in 2009 and led the Midwest League with 23 homers in his first full season. He found 2011 rockier while battling a concussion, mononucleosis and food poisoning, but got back on track in 2012 and reached Triple-A at age 21, making him the youngest position player in the Pacific Coast League. Scouting Report: Franklin has a tightly wound build with quick-twitch athleticism and surprising strength. Those factors lead to sneaky power from his short, compact stroke. He projects to hit 15 homers a year in the big leagues while adding plenty of doubles. Though he's a switch-hitter, he has had little success from the right side because his stride gets too long. He might be more productive batting solely lefthanded. He's an adequate defender at shortstop, but he may fit better at second base because his range, hands and arm are all average. He's a solid runner with good instincts on the bases. He plays with a lot of confidence and can take his game up a notch when necessary. The Future: Expected to return to Triple-A, Franklin should reach Seattle by the second half of the season. He profiles as a solid regular who could play in a few All-Star Games. -
Coming off a solid season between Double-A Jackson and Triple-A Tacoma, the switch-hitting Franklin was a steady performer this fall for the AFL champion Javelinas, batting .338/.422/.519 with 22 RBI, second in the league. Offensively, the 2009 first rounder shows excellent line-drive ability and above-average power potential. Scouts express concerns over his ability to hit from the right side, where he has the tendency to drift forward and gets out front on pitches. Defensively, Franklin profiles best at second base with average hands and an average arm, but scouts agree his bat should carry him to Seattle in the immediate future. -
Background: Franklin led the Midwest League with 23 homers in 2010, but his 2011 season was a bit rockier. A teammate's bat flew out of the cage during batting practice and struck Franklin in the jaw, resulting in a concussion. During his time on the disabled list, he had bouts with food poisoning and mononucleosis. He returned to steal the show in the AFL Rising Stars Game, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and an opposite-field homer off No. 1 overall pick Gerrit Cole.Scouting Report: Franklin is a rare switch-hitting middle infielder with solid power. He has good hand-eye coordination and hits the ball with authority to all parts of the park. He's much more productive batting lefthanded, and some scouts think he'd be best served by abandoning his righthanded swing. He's an average runner with fine instincts on the bases. Franklin's defense draws mixed reviews. His range and actions work at shortstop, but some evaluators feel his instincts and fringy arm would fit better at second base. The Future: With Dustin Ackley at second base, the Mariners would love for Franklin to stay at shortstop. He should reach Triple-A during 2012.
