Wander Franco
| Wander Franco | |
|---|---|
Franco with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023 | |
| Tampa Bay Rays – No. 5 | |
| Shortstop | |
| Born: March 1, 2001 Baní, Dominican Republic | |
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 22, 2021, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 12, 2023, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .282 |
| Home runs | 30 |
| Runs batted in | 130 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Wander Samuel Franco Aybar (born March 1, 2001), nicknamed "El Patron", is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021 and was an All-Star in 2023.
Franco has not played in affiliated baseball since August 2023, when he was placed on administrative leave due to an investigation into allegations of relationships with underage girls in the Dominican Republic. In June 2025, a Dominican court found Franco guilty of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of a minor; he received a suspended sentence of two years in prison. His first trial was voided by a Dominican appeals court that December. His second trial is set to start March 30, 2026.