Jeff Francoeur Stats & Scouting Report

AB	5260
AVG	.261
OBP	.303
SLG	.416
HR	160

Full name Jeffrey Brandon Francoeur
Born 01/08/1984 in Atlanta, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Parkview
Debut 07/07/2005
Drafted in the 1st round (23rd overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2002 (signed for $2,200,000).

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Francoeur is the top two-sport athlete in the draft, a blue-chip defensive back ticketed for Clemson football. Conventional wisdom is that he'll sign to play baseball, though he'll use his leverage to maximum benefit. He's a physical player, with a 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame and plus-plus speed, arm, bat speed and raw power. The one concern scouts have is his batting approach. It doesn't happen very easily for him, as he has a spread-out, no-stride stance and tends to spin off pitches and struggle with breaking stuff. The Braves love to sign home-state players, and the thinking is they'd jump at the chance to grab Francoeur if he's around when they pick 23rd.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

A two-sport standout in high school, Francoeur was a high school all-America defensive back who turned down the opportunity to play football and baseball at Clemson. Since signing for a club-record $2.2 million bonus, he twice has been named the top prospect in his minor league, first in the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2002 and again in the high Class A Carolina League in 2004. Francoeur was on the verge of a promotion to Double-A Greenville last July when he squared around to bunt and the ball ricocheted off the bat up into his face, breaking his right cheekbone. Initially expected to miss the rest of the season after having surgery, Francoeur pushed himself and returned in five weeks. He finished the year in Double-A and made up for some lost time by batting .283 in the Arizona Fall League. Francoeur is one of the purest five-tool players in the minor leagues. Scouts rave about the way he consistently gets the barrel of the bat on the ball. He uses his hands well in his swing and generates tremendous bat speed, which combined with his natural power should enable him to hit 30-plus home runs annually in the majors. Francoeur uses the entire field and used his season at pitcher-friendly Myrtle Beach to his advantage, becoming adept at driving outside pitches the opposite way. Defensively, he made a seamless move from center field to right last year. Managers rated his arm the best among Carolina League outfielders. He has outstanding range and gets good jumps on balls. His knack for being in the right position can be attributed to his speed as well as his baseball instincts and intelligence. As impressive as his tools may be, Francoeur's makeup may stand out even more. One of the most competitive players in the organization, he's a fiery team leader, which could be just what the big league team needs. Francoeur's greatest need is to show more patience at the plate, and at this point it appears to be the only flaw in his game. While he doesn't strike out excessively, he also didn't draw a walk in 18 Double-A games and he worked just two in 25 AFL contests. The Braves don't want him to change his aggressive approach, but he understands that better strike-zone discipline will make him an even more dangerous hitter. After another year of making adjustments against advanced pitching, he should be ready for his major league debut soon thereafter. Longtime Atlanta officials continue to compare Francoeur to Dale Murphy, and his swagger is more reminiscent of Chipper Jones. He's an exciting player who gives the game every ounce of his energy every time he takes the field. His natural ability and approach could make him a 30-30 man and an all-star for the Braves. Even if he's moved at a conservative pace, he should get his first taste of the big leagues by the end of 2006.
Many longtime members of the organization consider Francoeur the most complete outfielder the Braves have developed since Dale Murphy. He lived up to the lofty expectations in his first full pro season by ranking as the No. 4 prospect in the South Atlantic League. A high school all-American defensive back who earned a football scholarship to Clemson, Francoeur is the best all-around athlete in the system. He consistently makes solid contact with the barrel of the bat, and his maturing body should produce 30 homers annually down the road. He has the speed and instincts to play center field, and his arm strength is among the best in the organization. Francoeur also has plus makeup and a strong competitive drive. Francoeur's strike-zone judgment could improve. Otherwise, he simply needs experience against better competition to make some minor adjustments. On the verge of becoming one of the premier prospects in the minors, Francoeur is slated to open 2004 with high Class A Myrtle Beach. He could reach Double-A in the second half.
The 23rd overall pick last June, Francoeur made a seamless transition from high school to pro ball. He was the Appalachian League's No. 1 prospect. A prep All-America defensive back, he passed up a football scholarship from Clemson to sign for a Braves-record $2.2 million bonus. Francoeur impresses scouts as much with his character as he does with his tools. And he's loaded with tools, starting with 6.43-second speed in the 60-yard dash and solid baserunning instincts. He has a plus arm and the ability and instincts to play all three outfield positions. He drives the ball to all fields and makes rapid adjustments. His swing is smooth and features little wasted movement. Experience is the biggest thing lacking for Francoeur. As he focuses on baseball, he'll understand how pitchers are trying to set him up at the plate and how to read them while getting leads. Francoeur is a natural leader with a tremendous drive to reach the big leagues. Several Braves officials said he could top this list at the end of 2003, which he'll begin at Rome, the organization's new low Class A affiliate.

Minor League Top Prospects

Before he was became the darling of the majors, Francoeur impressed SL managers with his outstanding all-around tools--while, curiously, putting up numbers that didn't approach what he did in Atlanta. He can flat-out hit and he also can change a game with his other tools, including a very strong arm and plus speed. His game has been likened to Vladimir Guerrero's, and Francoeur did nothing in his big league debut to diminish those comparisons. A renowned free swinger who unabashedly admits he never looks to walk, he'll probably have to make adjustments once big league pitchers get used to him. "He could throw, he plays the game hard, has a big body, but the thing you question all the time was he wouldn't walk, and he hasn't done that in the big leagues," West Tenn manager Bobby Dickerson said. "But I like to see a young hitter swing at the ball, when he would go out of the zone. If the ball bounced, his bat bounced. And when he gets a strike, he hammers it."
Francoeur moved from center field to right this season, at the same time dealing with the pitching-friendly confines of Coastal Federal Field. But he handled it with aplomb, fielding his new position well and learning to use the whole field by taking outside pitches the other way. "If I had to pick a five-tool guy in the league, he'd be it," said the AL scout. "He has it all . . . and his makeup is off the charts." The Braves found out just how good his makeup was after Francoeur broke his cheekbone when he fouled a ball off his face while squaring around to bunt on May 15. He was expected to miss the rest of the season, and most ticketed him to be ready for the Arizona Fall League. But Francoeur came back to the Pelicans lineup in late July and earned a promotion to Double-A Greenville before the season ended. "What I liked most about him was his tremendous aptitude and competitiveness," Kinston manager Torey Lovullo. "He's an exciting and emotional team leader. You add that into all the other tools he has--especially his bat speed; he can put wood on a bullet--and you have a guy that could be an all-star caliber player in the big leagues for 10 years."
A high school all-American as a defensive back, Francoeur is a premium athlete who turned down a football scholarship to Clemson. He combines his athleticism with a wide array of tools and baseball skills. He showed outstanding raw power and the ability to hit the ball hard to the opposite field. "This guy has such a good presence that I wrote him up as a prospect even though he did terrible against us," Capital City manager Tony Tijerina said. "He couldn't make contact against us, but this guy has a great approach and set-up at the plate. I like everything about him--the way he plays the game, the way he wears his uniform, the way he plays the outfield--and he's going to hit for power." Francoeur's pitch selection needs work, and he was vulnerable to offspeed stuff at times. But he has tremendous bat speed and crushes fastballs. In center field, he used his above-average speed to cover the gaps and showed a plus arm, but profiles as a prototypical right fielder in the majors.
Atlanta scouting director Roy Clark was thrilled when the Braves lured Francoeur away from a Clemson football scholarship (as a defensive back) in July. Not only because they signed a five-tool outfield prospect, but also because the first-rounder is a high-character player who has attracted comparisons to former National League MVP Dale Murphy on a variety of fronts. "He is the best tools player in this league, bar none," Danville manager Ralph Henriquez said. "I'm big on makeup and this kid is off the charts. He knows he is going to play in the big leagues. Everything he does is centered on that achieving that goal." Francoeur had no trouble adjusting to wood bats, driving the ball to all fields. He has outstanding instincts and is fearless pursuing fly balls and running the basepaths. He also possesses a plus arm and is capable of playing all three outfield positions.