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The Show Before the Show: Franco, broadcasting

Top prospect's bow, #DemoCritiqueDay discussed in two episodes
June 24, 2021

Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review "Minor League Baseball podcast" on iTunes. The podcast is also available via Spotify,

Rays invite Franco to Spring Training camp

Top overall prospect headed to Major League side in Port Charlotte
@SamDykstraMiLB
February 1, 2021

The defending American League champs will have a big name in their Spring Training camp, and he isn't even out of his teenage years just yet. The Rays have invited top overall prospect Wander Franco to Major League Spring Training as a non-roster player, the club announced Monday. This will

Rays’ Franco repeats as top overall prospect

Tampa Bay boasts league-high eight players in MLB.com's Top 100
January 28, 2021

For the second consecutive year, the Rays reign supreme in the prospect world. Led by consensus No. 1 overall prospect Wander Franco, Tampa Bay boasts a Major League-high eight prospects on MLB.com's Top 100 list, released Thursday night. Following Franco at the top are the No. 1 overall picks in

Winter ball roundup: Dominican League

After short stay for top prospect Franco, others shine in LIDOM
@tylermaun
January 27, 2021

Without a Minor League season in 2020, top prospects headed to various locations across the globe for offseason work. Over the next few weeks, MiLB.com will look at the highlights from winter ball seasons worldwide. First up: the Dominican Winter League. Season summary Perhaps baseball’s most iconic current winter circuit,

State of the System: Tampa Bay Rays

Arozarena brings the thunder while Rays await Franco's debut
@MavalloneMiLB
December 21, 2020

Starting in October and running through the end of the year, MiLB.com's State of the System series will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each Major League organization, highlights prospects who've made the biggest strides in 2020 and offers a peek at 2021.

Rays' Franco to miss rest of winter league

No. 1 prospect should be ready for spring after offseason injuries
@SamDykstraMiLB
December 3, 2020

Thursday brought good news to the Rays organization and fans and bad news to anyone hoping to see the game's top overall prospect on the field this winter. Wander Franco was diagnosed with shoulder soreness and biceps inflammation, Tampa Bay announced after the shortstop met with doctors in St. Petersburg,

Wander leaves winter team with sore shoulder

Top overall prospect returning to Tampa area to undergo tests
November 25, 2020

Baseball’s top prospect is headed back to the States after injuring his shoulder in the Dominican Winter League. Wander Franco, the Rays’ star youngster and MLB Pipeline's No. 1 overall prospect, left the Leones Del Escogido this week to return to Tampa Bay for tests, the team announced Wednesday.

Toolshed: Prospects with World Series connections

Top-100 talents have ties to Fall Classic, even away from Arlington
@SamDykstraMiLB
October 23, 2020

This is not a World Series for the prospect lover. Then again, not many World Series are. Sure, there are two ranked prospects left -- both from the Rays roster -- and they have their own stories to tell. No. 19 Tampa Bay prospect Randy Arozarena has been one of

Prospects in the Rays' 2020 player pool

In loaded system, Franco among prospects knocking on the door
@Kelsie_Heneghan
July 13, 2020

As part of the new rules for the 2020 Major League season, each of the 30 organizations will maintain a 60-man player pool for the duration of the campaign. Some members of the player pool will feature on the active Major League roster while others will work out at an

The Road to The Show™: Wander Franco

19-year-old Rays shortstop dominant against older competition
May 11, 2020

Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken to reach the brink of realizing his Major League dream. Here's a look at Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco. He's 19. He hasn't met much of a challenge yet in professional baseball. He's moved rapidly through

Toolshed dream lineup: The teenagers

Picking best young prospects position by position entering 2020
March 24, 2020

There may be no Minor League Baseball right now. That's not going to stop us from dreaming about lineups.In the coming weeks, Toolshed will craft the best possible prospect lineups, sorted by age groups. This opening edition focuses on teenagers, i.e., those who will be playing at age 17, 18

Toolshed: Rays will make most of middle infield

Tampa Bay boasts six middle infielders among its Top 30 prospects
March 13, 2020

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- At some point in the hopefully not-too-distant future when the coronavirus pandemic passes, people are safe, rosters are being set and the season is around the corner, the Tampa Bay organization is going to have some tough decisions to make, specifically in the middle infield of

Reports: Franco to play in Olympic qualifiers

Top prospect given permission to compete for DR this month
March 2, 2020

When Wander Franco is an option, let Wander Franco play. That's what his native country intends to do later this month.MLB.com's top overall prospect has been granted permission by the Rays to compete for the Dominican Republic in the Olympic baseball qualifiers from March 22-26 in Arizona, according to reports

Farm system rankings: 21-and-under talent

Padres, Braves, Cardinals battle for title of best young core
February 25, 2020

With the 2020 season rapidly approaching, MiLB.com is looking at the state of all 30 farm systems and ranking them in different ways. After looking at position-player prospects (30-21, 20-11, 10-1) and pitchers (30-21, 20-11, 10-1), the third installment focuses on prospects who will be 21 years old or younger

Farm system rankings: Position players, 10-1

White Sox stacked with Robert, Vaughn, Madrigal on the way
February 12, 2020

With the 2020 season rapidly approaching, MiLB.com looks at the state of all 30 farm systems and ranks them in several different ways. This first installment, broken into three parts, focuses on position players and considers the quality and quantity of talent in each system. Here are the top 10

Rays take charge of 2020 prospect rankings

Franco stays No. 1 overall; Tampa Bay holds six Top 100 slots
January 24, 2020

In terms of both quantity and quality, no team has prospects like Tampa Bay. The Rays boast six players among MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects, revealed Saturday. That's more than any organization, with shortstop Wander Franco remaining in the No. 1 overall spot. The top prospect reached Class A Advanced Charlotte

Franco, Ryan top Rays' deep prospect pool

Talent on MiLB.com's top farm system bodes well for the future
December 13, 2019

Each offseason, MiLB.com goes position by position across each system and honors the players -- regardless of age or prospect status -- who had the best seasons in their organization. Click here to locate your favorite club.Plain and simple, all Tampa Bay's system did in 2019 was win, win, win.So much so

Rays shine as Farm System of the Year

With wins galore, Franco and McKay, organization is a stunner
November 19, 2019

There are a lot of ways to win. In 2019, Tampa Bay Rays affiliates may have found them all.At Class A Short Season Hudson Valley, players got on and ran wild on the bases. At Triple-A Durham, they worked walks. At Class A Advanced Charlotte, they leaned on their lights-out

Head of the Class: Class A Advanced

Padres' Campusano breaks out bat; Astros' Garcia brings heat
September 30, 2019

With another Minor League season in the books, members of the MiLB.com staff are looking back at some of the most notable performers from the 2019 campaign for each level. After looking at Triple-A, Double-A, Class A, Class A Short Season and Rookie Advanced, we turn our attention to the Class A

Rays name Franco 2019 Player of Year

Top prospect hit .327 in first full season; Ryan also honored
September 23, 2019

The game's top overall prospect adds another line to his already impressive resume.The Rays named Wander Franco their 2019 Minor League Player of the Year on Monday. The organization also honored their No. 15 prospect, Joe Ryan, as the system's Pitcher of the Year. 

Tommy Romero named FSL Pitcher of the Year

Franco, Hernandez, Smith also named postseason All-Stars
August 29, 2019

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (August 29, 2019) - Stone Crabs starting pitcher Tommy Romero has been named the 2019 Florida State League Pitcher of the Year, the league office announced Thursday.Romero becomes the first pitcher in Charlotte history to earn the honor outright, after Jake Faria shared the award with Daytona's

Larnach, Romero grab top FSL awards

Miracle slugger, Crabs righty lead end-of-season All-Stars
August 29, 2019

The Florida State League may be known as a pitchers' league, but the biggest names on this year's list of honorees are reserved for those on the hitting side.Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach (Fort Myers) and Rays right-hander Tommy Romero (Charlotte) were named Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, as

Franco, Sampen, Betts Named to Midwest League Post-Season All-Star Team

Franco takes home Prospect of the Year honors in second round of MWL All-Star voting
August 23, 2019

Bowling Green, KY- Richard A. Nussbaum II, President of the Midwest League of Baseball Clubs, has announced Caleb Sampen, Chris Betts, and Wander Franco were named to the Midwest League Post-Season All-Star Team on Friday. Franco earned Prospect of the Year honors while all three players earned their second All-Star

Thomas, Franco headline MWL All-Stars

D-backs outfielder, Rays shortstop take home top honors
August 23, 2019

There was plenty of young prospect firepower in the Midwest League this summer, and the Class A circuit's final list of award winners clearly reflects that.D-backs top prospectAlek Thomas was named Most Valuable Player and Rays top prospect Wander Franco took home Prospect of the Year honors as the Midwest

Late comeback falls short in 7-5 loss to Miracle

Franco reaches base four times in defeat
August 21, 2019

FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 21, 2019) - Wander Franco reached base four times and the Stone Crabs mounted a late comeback, but the Fort Myers Miracle held on for a 7-5 win at Hammond Stadium.With Charlotte (77-50, 42-19) trailing 7-3 entering the ninth inning, Zac Law singled to start the