P | Cincinnati Reds
Bats/Throws: R/R | 6' 2" 257 lbs | Age: 25
MLB Pipeline Rank
Reds: No. 24
W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP
2025 3 2 3.51 17 14 0 51.1 52 1.38
Career Minors 18 19 3.88 106 86 0 380 448 1.31
G W-L ERA IP SO WHIP
2025 17 3-2 3.51 51.1 52 1.38
Career Minors 106 18-19 3.88 380 448 1.31
  • ▾

Standard Minor League Pitching Statistics

SeasonTmLGLWLERAGGSSVIPHRERHRBBSOWHIP
2019 DSL Reds DSL ROK 3 1 2.20 14 14 0 57.1 50 19 14 1 14 59 1.12
2021 Daytona Tortugas A SE A 2 5 6.71 19 11 0 59.0 50 45 44 12 42 77 1.56
2022 Daytona Tortugas FSL A 1 6 4.44 20 13 0 77.0 76 38 38 13 39 104 1.49
2024 2 Teams Minors 2 3 3.52 22 22 0 76.2 62 30 30 7 26 90 1.15
2024 Daytona Tortugas FSL A 1 0 3.64 8 8 0 29.2 27 12 12 4 9 41 1.21
2024 Dayton Dragons MID A+ 1 3 3.45 14 14 0 47.0 35 18 18 3 17 49 1.11
2025 2 Teams Minors 10 4 3.11 31 26 0 110.0 85 47 38 14 54 118 1.26
2025 Chattanooga Lookouts SOU AA 7 2 2.76 14 12 0 58.2 42 20 18 4 26 66 1.16
2025 Louisville Bats INT AAA 3 2 3.51 17 14 0 51.1 43 27 20 10 28 52 1.38
DSL Reds DSL ROK 3 1 2.20 14 14 0 57.1 50 19 14 1 14 59 1.12
Louisville Bats INT AAA 3 2 3.51 17 14 0 51.1 43 27 20 10 28 52 1.38
Chattanooga Lookouts SOU AA 7 2 2.76 14 12 0 58.2 42 20 18 4 26 66 1.16
Dayton Dragons MID A+ 1 3 3.45 14 14 0 47.0 35 18 18 3 17 49 1.11
Daytona Tortugas FSL A 4 11 5.11 47 32 0 165.2 153 95 94 29 90 222 1.47

Scouting Report

2026

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 40 | Overall: 45

Franco’s signing for $10,000 back in October 2018 didn’t exactly create any buzz and it took a while for him to be on any kind of radar. He repeated the Single-A Florida State League in 2021 and '22 following the pandemic and then missed the next season after Tommy John surgery. Things clicked for him in 2025 as he made his Double-A debut, pitching his way to Triple-A, as he topped 100 innings for the first time in his career and was rewarded by being added to the 40-man roster during the offseason.

The 6-foot-2 Franco has an effective three-pitch mix at his disposal. He has plenty of velocity, averaging 95 mph with his heater and topping out at 98, with a little arm side run and moderate life. He gets a ton of miss (43 percent rate) and chase (37 percent), according to Synergy, with his 82-87 mph slider, and while his changeup is his third pitch, he can miss bats with the spin-killer he throws in the upper 80s.

Franco is a strong and physical presence on the mound, and he showed in 2025 that he can maintain his stuff through a full season. It plays up because of some deception, but he struggles with his command. Now on the roster, the Reds will get a look at whether his stuff keeps ticking up in more of a multi-inning swing role. 


2025

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 40 | Overall: 40

The Reds 2018-19 international signing period could turn out to be some of the best bargain shopping any team has done in that market. It starts, of course, with getting star Elly De La Cruz for $65,000. They also got reliever Luis Mey for $50,000, and he touched the big leagues for the first time in 2025. Not far behind him is Franco, who received just $10,000 to join the Reds in October of 2018. It’s been a slow climb for the right-hander, spending two years in Single-A Daytona in 2021 and 2022 following the pandemic, then missing the 2023 season following Tommy John surgery. He’s taken a nice step forward in 2025, pitching very well during his first taste of Double-A and earning a bump up to Triple-A as a result.

From a pure stuff perspective, the 6-foot-2 Franco has an arsenal that gives him a chance to start. His fastball averages around 95 mph and tops out at 98 mph with decent spin and induced vertical break. He gets above-average spin on his 82-87 mph slider, which misses a good amount of bats, and he does a nice job of killing spin on his effective 86-90 mph changeup, giving him a third at least average offering.

Strong and physical, Franco provides strong presence on the mound. Whether he can land in the back end of a big league rotation will depend on his command and control, which regressed a bit in 2025. If starting doesn’t work out, his stuff could play well in a bullpen role. 



Awards




Transactions

Team Date Transaction
11/13/2025 RHP Jose Franco assigned to Navegantes del Magallanes.
11/06/2025 Cincinnati Reds selected the contract of RHP Jose Franco from Louisville Bats.
06/24/2025 RHP Jose Franco assigned to Louisville Bats from Chattanooga Lookouts.
04/02/2025 RHP Jose Franco assigned to Chattanooga Lookouts.
09/24/2024 Dayton Dragons activated RHP Jose Franco from the 7-day injured list.
09/04/2024 Dayton Dragons placed RHP Jose Franco on the 7-day injured list.
05/28/2024 RHP Jose Franco assigned to Dayton Dragons from Daytona Tortugas.
05/28/2024 Dayton Dragons activated RHP Jose Franco.
04/03/2024 RHP Jose Franco assigned to Daytona Tortugas.
11/06/2023 Daytona Tortugas activated RHP Jose Franco.
04/06/2023 RHP Jose Franco roster status changed by Daytona Tortugas.
09/23/2022 Daytona Tortugas activated RHP Jose Franco from the 7-day injured list.
09/23/2022 Daytona Tortugas activated RHP Jose Franco from the 7-day injured list.
08/13/2022 Daytona Tortugas placed RHP Jose Franco on the 7-day injured list.
08/13/2022 Daytona Tortugas placed RHP Jose Franco on the 7-day injured list retroactive to August 12, 2022. Right elbow strain.
05/26/2021 RHP Jose Franco assigned to Daytona Tortugas from AZL Reds.
05/26/2021 Daytona Tortugas activated RHP Jose Franco.
05/26/2021 Daytona Tortugas activated RHP Jose Franco.
09/20/2019 RHP Jose Franco assigned to AZL Reds from DSL Reds.
07/13/2019 RHP Jose Franco assigned to DSL NL All-Stars.
05/31/2019 RHP Jose Franco assigned to DSL Reds.
10/16/2018 Cincinnati Reds signed free agent RHP Jose Franco to a minor league contract.