Franklyn Gracesqui

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Miami Marlins #24 prospect in 2005
  Plucked out of the Blue Jays system in the minor-league Rule 5 draft, Gracesqui reached the majors last year and immediately got thrown into the fire. He registered his first career save in San Francisco and seemingly appeared in or warmed up for every game he was with the big club in a 12-day early-season trial. He had too many command problems to stick around, however, and was sent back to Triple-A, where he missed significant time with shoulder tendinitis. He has a live fastball that tops out at 96 mph and complements that with a fair slider and the occasional change. He is just as tough on righthanded batters as lefties, which helps him project as something more than a situational lefty. His slider could morph into a cut fastball that would make him even more effective against righties. He has good mound presence, showing the occasional glower at opposing hitters, and shows no fear. Like Manny Ramirez, he is a native Dominican who came through the strong baseball program at New York's George Washington High.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #19 prospect in 2004
  After the 2001 season, Gracesqui merited a spot on Toronto's 40-man roster, but the Blue Jays left him unprotected after 2002 and the Marlins grabbed him in the minor league Rule 5 draft. A tall, physical lefty, he has a plus fastball that gets on hitters late. He pitches at 93- 94 mph and touches 96. Thanks to some deception in his funky three-quarters delivery, hitters don't get many good looks against him. He lacks a second plus pitch, however. At times he commands his slider in the zone, but it acts more like a cutter. Despite being essentially a 11⁄2-pitch pitcher with shaky command, he has averaged better than a strikeout per inning in his career. Like Manny Ramirez, he's a Dominican who came through the strong baseball program at New York's George Washington High. Gracesqui is durable, capable of working three straight days, and projects as a valuable situational reliever in the majors. He must improve his work ethic, and he rubs some of his teammates the wrong way with his nonchalant attitude. He should start the year in Triple-A.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #30 prospect in 2003
  With the January trade that sent Rob Henkel and Nate Robertson to the Tigers for starter Mark Redman, the Marlins system lost two of its most intriguing lefties. They were able to deal from a position of depth, to some extent, thanks to a couple of pickups in the Triple-A phase of December's Rule 5 draft: Gracesqui and Eric Reynolds. Just a year before, Gracesqui had earned a spot on Toronto's 40-man roster. His large frame alone makes him imposing and intriguing, as does his fastball, which has reached 93-94 mph. A Dominican Republic native who attended the same New York high school as countryman Manny Ramirez, Gracesqui also has a slider that's tough to pick up out of his three-quarters delivery. Gracesqui, who projects as a useful situational reliever, still must refine his command but already has shown the ability to dominate lefthanders at times. For his career, he has averaged better than a strikeout per inning.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #22 prospect in 2002
  A Dominican from New York, Gracesqui earned a spot on the Jays' 40-man roster after an impressive display of power during the 2001 season and in instructional league. His big frame generates velocity and deception, and his three-quarters delivery makes it look like the ball comes out of his sleeve. Because he's still a little wild--though much less so than in his first three seasons--hitters rarely dig in against him. Gracesqui's 89-94 mph fastball and slider help him eat up lefthanded hitters, who rarely get a good swing against him. He still needs to refine his command and his slider, which can get slurvy at times. Because everything he throws is hard, Gracesqui figures to stay in the bullpen when he starts this year in high Class A.