Next on our Atlanta Braves prospect series of scouting profiles, we go back to the 2020 MLB Draft to look at outfielder Jesse Franklin.
The Atlanta Braves have had a number of highly ranked outfield prospects in recent years and Jesse Franklin might be ready to join that list.
A third-round pick in that shortened 2020 draft, Franklin got off to a slow start in 2021 a High-A Rome before heating up late.
Overall at Rome in 2021, he slashed .244/.320/.522/.842 with 55 runs scored, 24 home runs, 61 RBI, 19 stolen bases, and 24 doubles.
The power has always been his calling card with 10 home runs as a freshman at Michigan and 13 his sophomore season.
MLB Pipeline gives him a 50 grade for power, but after hittin 24 bombs at High-A I have to think that goes up to 60.
Jesse Franklin — Swing and Approach
It’s a pretty unusual swing for Franklin. The left-handed hitter standing at 6-foot-1 begins very upright and open and then kind of crouches before exploding towards the baseball.
Down to your final strike and trailing by a run while being no-hit? No problem for Atlanta's No. 15 prospect Jesse Franklin, who walked it off for High-A @TheRomeBraves with one swing. pic.twitter.com/faz7jUd4pu
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 8, 2021
It’s a lot of movement for sure, which is why he strikes out a ton, but it’s also why he hits a lot of homers. I wouldn’t mind seeing him starting in more of a crouch to cut down on some of that movement — kind of like Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.
And the approach for Franklin is pretty simple and obvious — turn-and-burn.
In the five or so games I watched it was pretty consistent that if you came inside to Franklin you were going to get hurt.
Jesse Franklin — Defense
To be honest, it’s too hard to watch a handful of games and get a good sense of someone defensively. But it seems like Franklin is an average defender with average speed and perhaps a below-average arm.
If he does stick in the outfield and doesn’t move to first (which he played in college) or DH, then he probably settles into the left-field position.
Jesse Franklin — Comparisons
I would love to say his comp is Kyle Schwarber and think he could become that kind of left-handed power hitter — and perhaps that is his ceiling if he ever reaches it, but their swings aren’t that similar.
Jared Walsh might be a better swing comparison as they are similar in size and their swings are comparable with a pull-happy approach.
Jesse Franklin — Projections and Timetable
Franklin is a prospect I was really excited to get my eyes on this offseason because I was hoping he might become a prospect that rises up the rankings.
However, I’m not nearly as convinced after watching him. Like I said before, if you come inside to him he will make you pay.
But at the same time, it’s very easy to get him out with pitches away. Anytime a pitcher was able to locate a good fastball on the outside corner Franklin couldn’t get to the pitch.
If he’s ever going to reach his potential, he’ll have to learn how to adjust his swing and be able to shoot those balls the other way every now and then — or at least be able to reach them, and with his power, he could still pull some of those balls for extra hits.
Because of the way the game is played today, I feel like Franklin has at least set himself up to be a left-handed power bat off the bench at the big league level.
As a full-time big-league player right now, I’d project him to slash .230/.290/.440 with 25-30 home runs and 160 strikeouts.
There are certainly big-league outfielders right now putting up similar numbers.
This coming up 2022 season will be big as he goes to Double-A where the pitching is much better and smarter. We’ll see if he continues to get exposed with those pitches away or if he can make the adjustment and become a more well-rounded hitter instead of a one-trick pony.