ORGANIZATION 2017 TAMPA BAY RAYS MEDIA GUIDE 099 40-MAN ROSTER › NICK FRANKLIN INFIELDER COACHES & STAFF NICK FRANKLIN 2 Nicholas Edward Franklin Nick Franklin 40-MAN ROSTER BATS THROWS HEIGHT WEIGHT SWITCH RIGHT 6'0" 180 MAJOR LEAGUE SERVICE 2 years, 27 days OPENING DAY AGE 26 BORN 3/2/91 in Orlando, FL RESIDES Orlando, FL NON-ROSTER INVITES RECORDS & HISTORY CONTRACT STATUS Signed through 2017 ACQUIRED From the Seattle Mariners in a three-team trade, 7/31/14 (see page 102) SIGNING SCOUT Chuck Carlson (Mariners) X-RAY REPORT avg., .226 OBP and .319 SLG in 55 games with ÊÊNick has moonlighted as an Uber driver the the Rays over the previous two seasons. past two offseasons back home in Orlando and ÊÊSwitch-hitter batted .285/.347/.482 (39- holds a rating of 4.8 (out of 5)…due to time lim- for-137) with all 6 HR vs. RHP…hit just itations, he only spent a couple days driving .216/.256/.297 (8-for-37) against lefties. this winter, making 9-10 trips. ÊÊTwenty of his 26 RBI came at Tropicana ÊÊHe took karate from ages 5-9 under instructor Field…11 of those RBI came during the June 27– OPPONENTS Jim King at the American Karate Academy…this July 7 homestand, most by a Ray during any offseason, he returned to the very same acad- homestand since Matt Joyce from July 26– emy, where King still works, to reincorporate Aug 5, 2010 (12), according to the Elias Sports karate into his conditioning…he found that it Bureau…his 11 RBI in 9 games that homestand helped his flexibility, agility and balance. matched his career total for the Rays in MINOR LEAGUE OPERATIONS BROADCAST INFORMATION TROPICANA FIELD & MISC. ÊÊNick’s maternal grandfather, Ed Clifton, 61 games prior to that. played one season as a middle infielder in the ÊÊOn June 27 vs. BOS, went 3-for-5 with a career- Applachian League for the Salem (Va.) Rebels, high 5 RBI…on June 30 vs. DET, delivered 3 RBI a Pirates affiliate. off the bench, coming on a pinch-hit, bases- ÊÊHe has three dogs: two pit bulls (James and clearing double. Jeter) and a beagle (Bailey). ÊÊOn Aug 17 vs. SD, was preparing to lead off the game in the 1st inning when he was struck on 2016 SEASON the helmet by Kevin Kiermaier’s bat near the ÊÊSpent time at five different defensive posi- on-deck circle…removed after the inning as a tions over three stints with the Rays…played precaution, and appeared in a game two days in 60 games—his most since 2013 (102)—with later vs. TEX as a defensive replacement…on 45 starts (16-LF, 7-2B, 6-1B, 6-DH, 5-SS, 5-RF)… Aug 20, was placed on the 7-day concussion missed time down the stretch due to two mi- DL…reinstated on Aug 27. nor injuries. ÊÊOn Sep 15 at BAL, suffered a left hamstring ÊÊBegan the season with Triple-A Durham…was strain while stretching to scoop a throw at first recalled on June 5 and optioned on June 10 base…the injury limited him to starting only 4 after appearing in 3 games…recalled again on of the team’s final 16 games. June 21 and optioned on July 19, despite hitting .319 (15-for-47) with 13 RBI in 16 games during CAREER HIGHLIGHTS that stint…recalled a final time on July 29. ÊÊHis last 19 HR have come vs. RHP…his only ca- ÊÊEstablished career highs with a .270 avg., .328 reer homer off a lefty was June 17, 2013 at LAA OBP and .443 SLG…in comparison, had a .170 (with SEA), off Jason Vargas. MG17.indb 99 2/27/17 1:23 PM 100 2017 TAMPA BAY RAYS MEDIA GUIDE 40-MAN ROSTER › NICK FRANKLIN RICH SCHULTZ / GETTY IMAGES ÊÊHad two stints with the Rays in 2015, appear- ÊÊAssigned to Durham in 2014, after arriving from ing in 44 games and making 23 starts (12-2B, Seattle in the July 31 trade that sent David Price 5-SS, 5-1B, 1-DH), including his first career apps to Detroit…recalled by the Rays on Sep 15 and at first base and pitcher…spent the remain- appeared in 11 games, 9 starts (6-2B, 3-SS). der of the season with Durham…his season ÊÊMade his Rays debut on Sep 16 vs. NYY, going was delayed by more than a month due to a left 2-for-4 with an RBI single…scored the go-ahead oblique strain suffered in spring training. run on a safety squeeze in the 6th. ÊÊEntered the spring battling Logan Forsythe for ÊÊOn Sep 20 vs. CWS, homered off the C-ring cat- playing time at 2B…suffered a left oblique strain walk for his first as a Ray and first since Aug 29, during BP on March 23 and began the season 2013 at HOU. on the DL…played 8 games on a rehab assign- ment with Durham, batting .318/.423/.500 (7- ÊÊSpent most of the season in Triple-A, playing for-22) with 1 HR, 4 RBI and 2 SB. 75 games with Tacoma (Seattle) and 27 with Durham…hit a combined .272/.366/.412 (103-for- ÊÊReinstated from the DL on May 17…hit .139 379) with 11 HR, 56 RBI, 18 2B and 11 SB, split- (10-for-72) in 28 games during his first stint ting most of his time between 2B (51 games) with the Rays and was optioned to Durham and SS (41 games)…was Durham’s best hitter in on June 25. the postseason, batting .424/.486/.967 (14-for- ÊÊOn June 1 at LAA, snapped an 0-for-25 skid with 33) with 3 2B, 2 HR and 3 RBI in 9 games. a homer off Garrett Richards. ÊÊOpened the season with Tacoma and had two ÊÊSaw his first professional action at 1B with a stints in the majors with the Mariners (April 16- start on June 6 at SEA…on June 9 vs. LAA had 23 and May 20-31)…appeared in 17 games (13 the first multi-error game by a Rays 1B since starts) for Seattle, where he hit .128 (6-for-47). Carlos Peña on May 4, 2009 vs. BAL. ÊÊAppeared in 102 games for Seattle in 2013, ÊÊRecalled by the Rays at the conclusion of making 92 starts (90-2B, 2-SS)…selected from Durham’s season…after that call up, hit .207 (6- Tacoma on May 27 and remained with the for-29) with a pair of go-ahead home runs: Sep Mariners until season’s end. 15 vs. NYY and Sep 30 vs. MIA. ÊÊTied for 2nd among AL rookies with 20 2B and ÊÊRecorded a .500 SLG for Durham, knocking 33 XBH…ranked 2nd with 45 RBI and 4th with 22 XBH in 192 AB (10-2B, 1-3B, 11-HR)…batted 12 HR. .287/.382/.586 (25-for-87) with 6 HR in his last ÊÊBecame the ninth rookie in Mariners histo- 25 games for Durham before the September ry with 10 HR and 20 2B in a season…joined TB call up. Wil Myers as the only AL rookies to reach those marks in 2013. MG17.indb 100 2/27/17 1:23 PM ORGANIZATION 2017 TAMPA BAY RAYS MEDIA GUIDE 101 40-MAN ROSTER › NICK FRANKLIN ÊÊHis 12 HR tied Bret Boone (1993) for the most ÊÊSpent most of the 2010 season with Class-A by a Mariners rookie middle infielder. Clinton, where he was named Offensive Player COACHES & STAFF ÊÊMade his major league debut as a defensive re- of the Year by the Mariners…hit 23 HR and re- placement at 2B on May 27 vs. SD and drew a corded 25 SB, one of only three minor league walk against Tyson Ross in his only plate ap- players to record a 20-HR, 20-SB season. pearance…recorded his first major league hit ÊÊHis 23 HR led the Midwest League and broke May 29 at SD, a single off Eric Stults. the 49-year-old Clinton record for single-season ÊÊHit the first 2 HR of his career on May 30 at HR…named a Midwest League midseason and Nick Franklin SD, solo shots off Andrew Cashner and Tim postseason All-Star, and the top shortstop on 40-MAN ROSTER Stauffer, respectively…at 22 years, 89 days, re- Baseball America’s postseason All-Star Team. mains the third-youngest Mariners player to re- ÊÊRanked by Baseball America as the No. 3 pros- cord a multi-homer game behind Ken Griffey Jr. pect in the Mariners organization following the and Alex Rodriguez, each of whom did it multi- season. ple times at a younger age. ÊÊHit his first career grand slam on July 21 at HOU AMATEUR CAREER NON-ROSTER INVITES RECORDS & HISTORY off Jordan Lyles. ÊÊIs a 2009 graduate of Lake Brantley (Fla.) High ÊÊSplit the 2012 season between Double-A School, just north of Orlando…selected as the Jackson and Tacoma…combined to bat .278 Orlando Sentinel Baseball Player of the Year as (131-for-472) with 32 2B, 9 3B, 11 HR and 12 SB… a senior…member of the 2007 and 2008 USA promoted to Tacoma on June 20…at age 21 was Baseball Youth National Team. one of the youngest players in Triple-A. CAREER HIGHS ÊÊNamed a Southern League midseason All-Star. ÊÊHit .338 (26-for-77) in 20 games for the Peoria HITS WALKS 3, 13x-last 9/11/16 at NYY 3, 2x-last 9/2/13 at KC Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League…selected to play in the AFL Rising Stars Game.