Minor-league assignments are scheduled to be released later this week in advance of Opening Day thoughout the minors on May 4 but it appears that the top prospect in all of baseball will begin one step from his goal.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported Thursday that shortstop Wander Franco is scheduled to begin his season playing for the Triple-A Durham Bulls.
Hearing Wander Franco is headed to Triple-A @DurhamBulls. Top #Rays and overall prospect in game, who turned 20 March 1, finished 2019 season at Class A. Full #Rays minor-league assignments expected to be released Friday
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) April 29, 2021
Franco, ranked the top prospect in the sport for the second consecutive year, made his first big league camp this year, playing 16 Grapefruit League games and hitting .257/.297/.371 with a home run and three RBI in 16 games, but was sent to minor-league camp on March 15.
Franco spent all of 2020 at the Rays alternate training site, and was with the team for last year’s postseason run, though he was not activated. His last minor league season ended in 2019 with the now-20 year old playing for the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the then high-A Florida State League.
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.
