Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50

Arkansas' last two first-round picks have been outfielders -- Andrew Benintendi in 2015 and Heston Kjerstad last year -- and Franklin has the upside to give the Razorbacks a third. He earned a starting job as a freshman in 2019, when he had some swing-and-miss issues, but has made adjustments and done more consistent damage over the past two seasons. He has some of the best all-around tools in this Draft's college class with his power, speed, arm and defense all grading as solid to plus. 

Franklin has shown marked improvement in his plate discipline since his freshman year, and if he can put together quality at-bats on a regular basis, he might be a 20-20 player. His bat speed and strength create power to all fields from the right side of the plate, and he produces impressive exit velocities. He has the quickness and savvy to steal bases, though scouts have noted he's not running quite as fast this year as he had previously. 

Franklin covers plenty of ground in center field thanks to his speed and instincts. He has a stronger arm than most at his position and throws well enough to handle either corner. If he doesn't hit enough to be a big league regular, he has the tools to become a useful fourth outfielder.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Arkansas was the SEC regular season and tournament champion in 2021, and Franklin, as a junior, was the team leader with a .964 OPS. Swing-and-miss concerns at the time dropped him to the Cubs in the fourth round, and he missed the entirety of 2022 due a torn patellar tendon in his left knee suffered in Spring Training. By 2024, Franklin climbed to Double-A but couldn’t crack the 40-man roster at the time of his first Rule 5 eligibility. Amid a strong 2025 season at Triple-A Iowa, he was traded to the Nationals at the Deadline for Michael Soroka and was added to Washington’s 40-man in the offseason.

Owner of a career .393 on-base percentage, the 5-foot-9 Franklin has long stood out for his discipline on the pro side, and his strong swing decisions were drivers of his International League success last season. After hitting the ball on the ground 60.3 percent of the time at Double-A in ’24, he improved his angles off the bat enough to get to his plus raw power more often, and his 106.3 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity would be comfortably above-average in the Majors. That said, he’s still more likely to spray the ball around the yard than yank homers in the air, and he projects for closer to 10-12 long balls over a full season.

An average runner, Franklin could steal 15-20 bags per year in the Majors if given the playing time. He’s spent time in all three outfield spots in recent years with average range in center and better in the corners, and his above-average arm strength helps his case anywhere on the grass. Franklin will be 26 for the 2026 season and has the tools to be a fourth outfielder, if he can crack Washington’s deep positional group in the bigs.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Franklin was the most productive hitter on an Arkansas team that ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the 2021 season and he was one of the toolsier players in that year's college crop, yet he slid to the fourth round amid swing-and-miss concerns. He tore the patellar tendon in his left knee while pursuing a flyball during his first Spring Training, requiring surgery that cost him the entire 2022 season. He showed flashes of talent without posting loud numbers the next two years and went unpicked in the Rule 5 Draft in December after the Cubs opted not to protect him on their 40-man roster. Up in Triple-A for the first time in 2025, Franklin started hitting the ball with more authority and was dealt to the Nationals at the Trade Deadline in a three-player swap for Michael Soroka.

Franklin hits the ball hard and has a disciplined approach that helped him lead the Double-A Southern League in on-base percentage (.398) and walks (71) last year, but he also makes a lot of ground-ball contact and struggles with sliders and changeups, leading to inconsistent offensive production. He displays plus raw power in batting practice, yet doesn’t drive the ball in the air in games, and four of his five homers last year snuck out down the right-field line. His right-handed swing gets long and he'll miss some hittable pitches in the zone.

An average runner out of the batter's box but quicker underway, Franklin stole 34 bases in 41 attempts last season. He makes good reads and takes good routes in the outfield, where his range grades as average in center and solid on the corners. He played all three outfield spots in 2025 with a primary focus on center. His arm plays from anywhere, aiding his chances at being a fourth outfielder in his new organization.

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Though Franklin had some of the best all-around tools in the 2021 college class and was the most productive hitter on an Arkansas team that ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the season, his swing-and-miss issues caused him to slide to the fourth round. He tore the patellar tendon in his left knee while chasing a flyball during his first Spring Training, sidelining him for the entire 2022 season. After he played his way to Double-A last year while batting a combined .254/.384/.444 with 12 homers and 14 steals in 99 games between four levels, he looked stronger than ever this spring, and the Cubs believe he's poised for a breakout in 2024.

With his combination of bat speed and strength, Franklin produces plus raw power that plays to all fields and some of the highest exit velocities among Chicago farmhands. He still piles up strikeouts because his right-handed stroke gets too long and he whiffs on more hittable pitches in the strike zone than he should. Plate discipline isn't an issue, as he doesn't chase outside the zone too often and draws a healthy amount of walks.

Franklin flashed plus speed with the Razorbacks but has slowed a bit as he has gotten stronger, and he's now more of an average runner out of the batter's box and solid under way. He has good instincts in the outfield and played all three spots in 2023, providing average range in center field and covering a solid amount of ground on the corners. He has a strong if erratic arm and needs to improve the accuracy of his throws.

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40 

Franklin featured some of the best all-around tools in the 2021 college class and was the most productive hitter on an Arkansas team that ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of that spring, but swing-and-miss concerns dropped him to the fourth round of the Draft. He made a brief pro debut that summer and lost all of 2022 after he tore the patellar tendon in his left knee while chasing a flyball during Spring Training. He returned this season and has spent most of his time in High-A. 

Franklin stands out most with his raw power to all fields, and his bat speed and strength combine to produce some of the best exit velocities in the Cubs system. Contact is still an issue because his right-handed swing tends to get long and he'll miss some hittable pitches in the strike zone. He doesn't chase outside the zone very much and offsets his strikeouts with a healthy amount of walks. 

An average runner out of the batter's box, Franklin has solid speed once he gets going. His instincts help him play quicker on the bases and in the outfield. He's an average defender in center field and solid on the corners with a strong arm that plays well at all three spots. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45 

The most productive hitter on an Arkansas team that ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the 2021 season, Franklin sported some of the best all-around tools in his college class. But concerns about his hitting ability dinged his Draft stock and caused him to slide more than expected. The Cubs were thrilled to find him on the board with the 123rd overall pick in the fourth round and signed him for $425,000, but he'll miss his entire first full pro season after tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee in Spring Training.

Franklin's bat speed and strength produce plus raw power to all fields and impressive exit velocities. His right-handed stroke gets long, however, and he will swing through some hittable pitches in the zone at times. Though he'll have to prove he can make consistent contact, he did improve his plate discipline during his college career and walked 20 times in his 24-game pro debut.

Franklin clocks average run times out of the batter's box but shows solid-to-plus speed once he gets going on the bases and in center field. He's a 20-20 candidate with good instincts as a base stealer and a defender. His range and solid arm strength make him an asset at any outfield position. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45

Franklin became an immediate starter at Arkansas as a freshman two years ago and was the most productive hitter on a 2021 Razorbacks team that ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the season. He had some of the best all-around tools in that year's college class, but questions about his ability to make consistent contact hurt his Draft stock. The Cubs were surprised to find him available in the fourth round and signed him for $425,000.

Franklin improved his plate discipline significantly during his college career, and if he can string together quality at-bats on a regular basis, he'll prove to be a steal. A right-handed hitter, he creates plus raw power with his bat speed and strength, producing impressive exit velocities and pop to all fields. He has the quickness and know-how to steal bases, though scouts clocked him as an average-to-solid runner in 2021 after he displayed plus speed in the past.

Thanks to his quickness and instincts, Franklin covers plenty of ground in center field. His solid arm is stronger than most at his position and makes him an asset at any of the three outfield spots. If he doesn't hit enough to be a big league regular, his broad base of tools could make him a useful fourth outfielder.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	11/18/2025	Washington Nationals selected the contract of LF Christian Franklin from Rochester Red Wings.
	09/19/2025	Rochester Red Wings activated LF Christian Franklin from the 7-day injured list.
	09/07/2025	Rochester Red Wings placed LF Christian Franklin on the 7-day injured list.
	08/01/2025	Rochester Red Wings activated LF Christian Franklin.
	08/01/2025	Rochester Red Wings activated LF Christian Franklin.
	07/31/2025	Washington Nationals traded RHP Michael Soroka to Chicago Cubs for SS Ronny Cruz and LF Christian Franklin.
	07/31/2025	LF Christian Franklin assigned to Rochester Red Wings.
	03/28/2025	OF Christian Franklin assigned to Iowa Cubs from Knoxville Smokies.
	03/06/2025	activated LF Christian Franklin.
	02/07/2025	Chicago Cubs invited non-roster LF Christian Franklin to spring training.
	09/24/2024	Tennessee Smokies activated LF Christian Franklin from the 7-day injured list.
	08/26/2024	Tennessee Smokies placed OF Christian Franklin on the 7-day injured list.
	03/07/2024	Chicago Cubs Prospects activated OF Christian Franklin.
	02/25/2024	OF Christian Franklin assigned to Chicago Cubs.
	10/01/2023	OF Christian Franklin assigned to Mesa Solar Sox.
	09/12/2023	OF Christian Franklin assigned to Tennessee Smokies from South Bend Cubs.
	07/14/2023	OF Christian Franklin assigned to South Bend Cubs from ACL Cubs.
	07/14/2023	South Bend Cubs activated OF Christian Franklin.
	06/30/2023	OF Christian Franklin assigned to ACL Cubs from South Bend Cubs.
	06/19/2023	South Bend Cubs transferred OF Christian Franklin to the Development List.
	04/25/2023	OF Christian Franklin assigned to South Bend Cubs from Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
	03/16/2023	OF Christian Franklin and assigned to Chicago Cubs.
	11/10/2022	Myrtle Beach Pelicans activated OF Christian Franklin.
	11/10/2022	Myrtle Beach Pelicans activated OF Christian Franklin.
	04/08/2022	OF Christian Franklin roster status changed by Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
	04/08/2022	Myrtle Beach Pelicans placed OF Christian Franklin on the 60-day injured list.
	03/17/2022	OF Christian Franklin assigned to Chicago Cubs.
	03/17/2022	OF Christian Franklin roster status changed by Chicago Cubs.
	08/23/2021	OF Christian Franklin assigned to Myrtle Beach Pelicans from ACL Cubs.
	08/16/2021	OF Christian Franklin assigned to ACL Cubs.
	07/15/2021	Chicago Cubs signed OF Christian Franklin.
	02/02/2021	CF Christian Franklin assigned to Arkansas Razorbacks.
	02/02/2021	OF Christian Franklin assigned to Arkansas Razorbacks.
	06/12/2019	LF Christian Franklin assigned to Arkansas Razorbacks.