2024 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #19 INF Welbyn Francisca
Hit: 60
Power: 45
Speed: 55
Defense: 50
Arm: 50
Overall: 40
Risk: High
ETA: 2027
Compact, athletic middle infielders build. Moderate projectable to add strength to frame. Strong hands. Wide open stance. Leg kick is mostly inwards to the plate with short landing forward. Whippy like, quick swing. Signed for $1.375M out of the Dominican Republic.
Given that Francisca hasn’t played any stateside ball yet, I don’t have much, but off reports I’ve heard from people who I trust, this has the potential to be a special, bat-driven profile. Plenty of quick whip and bat speed in the swing. Looks to have strong hands and can get to the ball with some poolside pop. It might be hit over power profile as the Guardians tend to collect, but it shouldn’t be empty contact. Looks to be an athletic mover on the run and in the field.
https://x.com/JL_Baseball/status/1665836159950258181?s=20
With his frame, whatever growth he has might still lead to gap power mostly. Most see a future move to second base but should still be an athletic infielder. Runs well but needs to learn more about reading pickoff moves and being smarter on the bases. Arm profiles as average. More pressure on the bat i he moves to second.
All data from this level should not be taken seriously. But as far as data goes, I’d like to see if he can keep up the 53% pull rate and 30.4%/36.5%/33% line drive, fly ball, ground ball rate that was pretty evenly distributed.
Hard to know much about Francisca given his age and no full season experience. But Cleveland usually vets these players pretty well for character and work ethic.
Really hard to project the long term future for Francisa at this point. All signs so far would point to a bat driven second baseman with athletic defensive skills. He’ll spend all of 2024 in the ACL likely.
40 - Hit over power infield with heavy reliance on his bat as a prospect. Good upside, high bust rate at this point.
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