RADIO
Keith Hernandez profiles Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco as a waiver wire pickup and add in Week 1 of the 2019 MLB season.
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues
OWNED IN: 23% of leagues
ANALYSIS: Franco hit .270/.314/.467 with 22 home runs and 68 RBI in 131 games for the Phillies in 2018. After a 25-homer, 88-RBI campaign in 2016, the young slugger was expected to take a step forward, but he has been stuck in neutral the last two years. His plate discipline leaves a lot to be desired and he needs to make more consistent hard contact while lifting the baseball more often to utilize his raw power.
The good news is he beat out Scott Kingery for regular playing time at the hot corner to begin 2019 and got off to a good start on Opening Day by going 1-for-4 with a home run, run scored and three RBI. Hitting low in the order limits his fantasy ceiling, but Franco could still have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs in a much improved lineup. The Dominican is still only 26 years old and could break out if he alters his approach at the plate and lifts the ball with more authority. Despite his penchant to swing often, Franco's strikeout rate hasn't gone over 17 percent in the last four years.
Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!
