Stone Crabs' Franco notches three-hit effort

Wander Franco has only played two professional games in the state of Florida, but if he's already starting to put down some roots.
Tampa Bay's top prospect continued his torrid pace at the plate -- notching three hits, including a double, and two RBIs -- to help lift Class A Advanced Charlotte past Fort Myers, 3-2, on Wednesday at Charlotte Sports Park.

Gameday box score
Franco, who was promoted to the Florida State League on Tuesday, already has flashed the spectrum of productivity he is capable of since joining the Stone Crabs. In his debut, he reached base three times after a pair of hits -- including an RBI single in his first at-bat -- and a walk, made two outstanding plays in the field in the first and ninth, and swiped a bag. The 18-year-old extended his hitting streak across two levels to five games on Wednesday and has reached base six times in eight FSL plate appearances.
Against the Miracle, MLB.com's No. 1 overall prospect went the other way on an 0-1 fastball from right-hander Edwar Colina and ripped it into left field for a two-out base hit in the first inning. He was stranded there after a groundout to third by Jim Haley ended the inning.
After grounding out back to the pitcher in the third, the Dominican Republic native stepped to the dish with two on and two out in the fifth. Facing Colina for a third time, Franco took a couple of pitches inside, off the plate, before hammering a deep fly ball that hit off Fort Myers' right fielder Trey Cabbage -- who made a sliding attempt on the play -- and landed in fair territory. Michael Smith and sixth-ranked Vidal Brujan scored on the hit to put the Stone Crabs ahead, 2-0.
The 5-foot-10, 189-pound shortstop stepped in against lefty Zach Neff (1-1) two frames later and found a hole with a ground ball through the right side of the infield. The knock set up Charlotte with runners on the corners and one out. But after Haley went down swinging, Franco was nabbed trying to swipe second.
Over 64 games this season, Franco sports a .329/.400/.517 slash line with 28 extra-base hits, 42 runs scored and 31 RBIs while posting a .917 OPS. He's also displayed an advanced feel for the strike zone with 31 walks to 20 strikeouts.
MiLB.com's 2018 Organization All-Star also was named Appalachian League Player of the Year and a postseason All-Star after a sensational rookie campaign with Rookie Advanced Princeton. Franco paced the circuit with 85 hits, 57 RBIs and 142 total bases, while finishing in the top five with a 28 extra-base hits (second), a .587 slugging percentage (third), seven triples (third), a .351 average (fourth), 11 homers (fourth) and a 1.005 OPS (fifth).
Franco was named a midseason All-Star with the Hots Rods earlier this year and also earned his third Player of the Week nod -- his first this season -- for the week ending April 28.

Charlotte's Joe Ryan allowed a pair of runs on six hits and a walk while whiffing six over 5 2/3 frames. Simon Rosenblum-Larson (1-1) recorded his first victory in his 20th appearance, working around a pair of walks and fanning two over 1 2/3 hitless innings of scoreless relief. Mikey York notched his seventh save after yielding one hit in a scoreless ninth.
Joey Roach provided the difference for the Stone Crabs with a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh that plated Smith from second.
Minnesota's No. 15 prospectJose Miranda and 29th-ranked Michael Helman accounted for the Miracle's offense in the sixth. Miranda hammered an RBI double that plated Cabbage, and Helman drove in Miranda from third with a sacrifice fly.