Franch connection
Young Padre worth a fantasy flyer
It is human nature to want to be the first to have something. It started when you were a kid, and you wanted the newest toy, video game system or pair of Air Jordans.
It continued as you got older, when you wanted to be the first with the newest iPhone or smart TV.
It is the same as a fantasy owner: You want the newest hot commodity on the market. Maybe something not many people know about just yet.
Enter San Diego’ s top outfield prospect, Franc hy Cordero.
In addition to some great team names (maybe, something like The Franchy Connection, Franchy Kiss or, if you live in New Orleans, The Franchy Quarter), you should be grabbing a young player with a ton of upside and a lot of tools in his belt. He is much more than a weird name.
Cordero’s 30-game audition in 2017 wasn’t that impressive: He hit .228 with three homers, nine RBIs, 15 runs scored, a .699 OPS and one stolen base. He also struck out 44 times in 99 plate appearances. The constant whiffing is not going to go away — he struck out 613 times in 539 minor league games (28.7 percent of his at-bats).
The 23-year-old entered this spring with hopes of making the team, and he made a solid case with gaudy exhibition numbers. He hit .343 with two homers, six RBIs, seven walks, five doubles, one triple, 10 runs scored and a 1.179 OPS. He also managed to strikeout just three times. But, as we know, spring games mean about as much as the Pope ranking his favorite Jewish delis, so despite his stellar numbers, he started the season at TripleA El Paso (a groin injury also contributed to Jose Pirela winning the leftfield gig).
Cordero wa s called up after injuries to Manuel Margo t (ribs) and Wil Myers (back). He should see regular playing time before manager Andy Green has to decide what to do with the crowded outfield situation. This is an opportunity for Cordero to make a name for himself and carve a spot on the Padres’ roster, as well as your fantasy squad. He smashed a homer off Colorado’s Antonio Senzatela in his f irst game Wednesday, but was quiet (aka hitless) in his other seven at-bats before Friday.
Despite the high strikeout rate and low walk rate (6.8 percent of his at-bats) in the minors, Cordero has all the tools to get fantasy owners excited. Not only did he hit .282 in seven seasons in the minors, he had 47 homers, 252 RBIs, 314 runs scored and 103 stolen bases . He hit 16 triples, 24 doubles and 11 homers in 2016, and 18 triples, 21 doubles and 17 homers in 2017. He also reached double-digit steals every year.
The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Cordero posted a .326/.369/.603 slash line in Triple-A, and was named the MVP of the Dominican Winter League this offseason.
Ju s t because his audition didn’t go as planned late last season, that doesn’t mean this go-round will be the same. Let’s not forget it was his f irst taste of the big leagues and he was just 22 years old. Sometimes, all these prospects need is a little extra time.
As of Friday, Cordero was available in more than 95 percent of ESPN leagues and 85 percent at Yahoo. This is your chance to get in on the ground floor, the first to have a potentially special player. You don’t have to start him — in fact Roto Rage advises against starting him immediately. Heck, if it doesn’t work out, you probably only dropped some pitcher you streamed, and you can always rename your team Franchy Fried, Franchy Diss or Franchy Toast. Go get him and see where it goes.