Wander Franco Named Midwest League Player of the Week
April 29, 2019 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Bowling Green Hot Rods shortstop Wander Franco
(Bowling Green Hot Rods)
Bowling Green, KY - The Bowling Green Hot Rods, Class-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and in conjunction with the Midwest League, announced on Monday that shortstop Wander Franco was named the Midwest League Player of the week for his performance during the week of April 22-28.
Franco (the youngest player in the league) was terrific at the plate over that span, slashing .429/.500/1.000 in six games. The shortstop slugged three homers, collected five RBI and scored seven runs, while striking out just twice and hitting safely in all but one game.
The Dominican native's signature game came on April 25 in the series opener against the Lansing Lugnuts. Franco went 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, while homering twice in a 6-5 victory. The two-homer effort was the prospect's second of his career and came one day after he had hit his first long-ball of the season in the series finale against the Fort Wayne TinCaps.
Franco becomes the eighth Hot Rods' player to earn the Player of the Week honor in the Midwest League, joining Trey Hair (2018), Jesus Sanchez (2017, Brett Sullivan (2016), Manny Sanchez (2016), Hunter Lockwood (2015), Derek Dietrich (2011, twice), and Tyler Bortnick, who was the first player to earn the honor for the club in 2010. John Mollicone won the South Atlantic League Player of the Week Award during the Hot Rods' inaugural and only season in the SAL.
The Hot Rods and Franco are back in action on Tuesday when the team begins a six-game road trip, starting with a three-game series against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Fans can catch all the action with Shawn Murnin on Willie 107.9 FM, as well as, with their smart phones via the MiLB first pitch app and TuneIn Radio App. The Hot Rods return home on May 6 to begin a nine-game homestand against the Burlington Bees, Clinton LumberKings and South Bend Cubs. Tickets are available now by calling the Hot Rods Front Office at 270-901-2121 or by visiting www.bghotrods.com.
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Midwest League Stories from April 29, 2019
- Kernels Homestand Preview: April 30 - May 5 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- OF Alex McKenna reinstated from the 7-day injured list - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Wander Franco Named Midwest League Player of the Week - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- First Tip-A-Cub on May 8 at Portillo's - South Bend Cubs
- Timber Rattlers Fans' Choice Bobblehead Vote for 2019 Is Live - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
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