After getting a chance to start as DH Tuesday, Tampa Bay Rays uber-prospect Wander Franco made his first start at short today against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and gave the fans at Charlotte Sports Park a chance to see why he’s considered the best prospect in the game.
The 20-year-old took the first pitch he saw from Pirates right-hander Miguel Yajure, and sent it on to the roof of the office building beyond the right field boardwalk.
OUTTA HERE!
Are you surprised? Wander Franco with a 1st pitch home run for the @RaysBaseball in their spring training action against the Pirates!
Watch the action on FOX Sports Sun & FOX Sports Go: https://t.co/yvxWVKXzCb #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/4hvDOPcDFc
— FOX Sports Sun: Rays (@FOXSportsRays) March 3, 2021
The blast is Franco’s first hit of the spring.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
