Wander Franco expected to make spring debut on Thursday

Wander is coming.

With the Tampa Bay Rays first split-squad game of spring training coming up on Thursday, Kevin Cash has placed the game’s number one top prospect, Wander Franco, on the tentative lineup card against the Detroit Tigers at Port Charlotte. Cash has also indicated that Franco may possibly be placing in the starting lineup on Friday, when the Rays travel to West Palm Beach to face the Washington Nationals.

Unfortunately, the game in Port Charlotte will not be televised. However, if Franco does play against the Nationals on Friday; That game can be viewed on MLB.tv as the Washington Nationals will broadcast the game, giving many fans their first opportunity to watch Franco during a live telecast.

Lauded for his skills at the plate, Franco is a true five tool player that rarely swings and misses and usually is ahead in the count at the plate. Once he receives a pitch to hit, he generally punishes it. He is ranked number one in the game by Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, MLB Pipeline, and many other baseball publications.

He’ll turn just 19 years old with the onset of March and is being predicted to rise rapidly this season and possibly make his Major League debut later on this summer.