Red Sox draft Feleipe Franks in 31st round of MLB Draft
Red Sox draft Feleipe Franks in 31st round of MLB Draft
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- After he put together a stellar finish to the 2018 season,
Feleipe Franks has positioned himself as a potential pro prospect in the eyes of many industry analysts. Just not many were thinking as a baseball player.
Except the Boston Red Sox, that is.
The Red Sox called Franks' number in the 31st round of the MLB Draft, selecting him with the No. 947 overall pick in this year's draft. It's not the first time Boston has picked a Florida quarterback who hasn't played baseball competitively since high school.
The club also drafted former Florida quarterback
Jeff Driskel in the 29th round in the 2013 MLB Draft. Driskel signed a contract with the club, earning a signing bonus without affecting his football eligibility in college.
Franks could do the same. The advantage for the MLB club in taking a football player? Should Franks decide to pursue a baseball career down the road the Red Sox would retain his rights.
As a high school player, Franks was rated as the No. 500 overall baseball prospect in the country by Perfect Game in 2016. He was rated as the No. 117 overall player in the state of Florida and the No. 41 right-handed pitcher nationally with a fastball clocked as high as 88 miles per hour.