Scouting Report

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

Francisca is not the biggest prospect in the class, but he has a huge upside.

Scouts note his advanced hitting abilities -- he has a chance to be a plus hitter -- and advanced run times. The switch-hitting teen has also impressed evaluators with his plus instincts and great makeup. The twitchy athlete is at shortstop now, but might be better suited for second base because of skill set and average arm.

There’s a chance he will develop some power because of his bat speed, but home runs are not expected to be a consistent part of his game. Speed is part of his game, and he could develop into a base-stealer in the future. Francisca trains out of the HYL Baseball Academy. The Guardians have shown interest in him.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Francisca was the centerpiece of the Guardians' 2023 international class and landed a $1,375,000 bonus out of the Dominican Republic. He very much fits the club's favored profile as a switch-hitting middle infielder, although he's grown well beyond his listed 5-foot-8 size to nearly 6-foot, which gives him a higher ceiling than other Guardians infield prospects. The 2025 season was a step back in production, though, as he slashed just .229/.320/.302 in his first full campaign at Single-A after posting a wRC+ of 144 and 141 in his first two pro seasons, largely in Rookie ball.

At his best, Francisca has flashy tools, led by a special knack for finding the barrel. With a more consistent approach, his pitch recognition and ability to adjust could give him a potentially plus hit tool. A natural right-hander, the team hopes to get more power from his righty swing, although some scouts like him better from the left side, so there could be discussion down the line of him focusing on just the left side. His once-precocious bat speed backed up in 2025 -- perhaps in part due to a shoulder injury -- but there's potential for power as he continues to grow.

Francisca is an athletic, aggressive runner who gets the most out of his impressive speed on the basepaths. He has the tools to play shortstop, but throwing issues plagued him last season. Francisca can show plus arm strength, but he wasn't able to access it fully because his feet were often out of position and his accuracy was lacking. Things are trending more toward him playing second base long-term, although he'll have to continue to remain versatile with the bevy of infield prospects in the lower rungs of the Guardians' system.

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

The Guardians target switch-hitting infielders with advanced bat-to-ball skills on the international market, and Francisca fit that profile when he received the highest bonus ($1,375,000) in their 2023 class. Signed out of the Dominican Republic, he went 5-for-7 with a homer, triple, five runs and three RBI in his pro debut in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League and hasn't stopped hitting since. He slashed .323/.414/.483 in his first two years as a pro and had no trouble handling Single-A pitching at age 18 in the final six weeks of last season.

Francisca has bat speed and tremendous feel from both sides of the plate and makes repeated contact to all fields with ease. He'll chase pitches on occasion but does a good job of working counts and drawing walks for a teenager. Though he's just 5-foot-8 and needs to add strength, he has surprisingly solid raw power and could provide 15-20 homers per season if he learns to drive the ball in the air more regularly.

Francisca is a solid runner but will flash plus or better run times on occasion, and he has the instincts and aggressiveness to steal bases. He's a twitchy athlete with smooth actions, range to both sides and reliable hands at shortstop. His average arm strength is a tick light for short but he projects as a solid defender there and plus at second base.

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

The Guardians collect switch-hitting infielders with advanced hitting skills, so it was no surprise they gave the largest bonus in their 2023 international class to someone fitting that profile. After signing for $1,375,000 out of the Dominican Republic, Francisca broke into pro ball by going 5-for-7 with a homer, triple, five runs and three RBIs in his first pro game in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. He batted .316/.419/.500 with three home runs and 11 steals in his 40-game debut.

Francisca exhibits feel for the barrel from both sides of the plate, allowing him to barrel balls repeatedly. Though he got a bit pull-heavy in his debut, he's a fairly patient hitter who will work counts and draw walks. He's undersized but his bat speed and aptitude for turning on and lifting pitches should translate into 15 or more homers per season once he adds some strength.

Francisca has average to solid speed and plays quicker than that thanks to his instincts and aggressiveness. He has similar arm strength and a chance to stick at shortstop, where he has good actions, range to both sides and sure hands. If he loses a half-step as he matures physically, he'll probably wind up at second base.

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

Francisca received the largest bonus in Cleveland's 2023 international class, signing for $1,375,000 out of the Dominican Republic. Known for his hitting prowess, he immediately showed it off by going 5-for-7 with a home run, a triple, five runs and three RBIs in his first pro game in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. He has continued to rake throughout the season. 

Though he's not very big, Francisca has a knack for making hard contact from both sides of the plate. He has a pull-heavy approach yet still manages to barrel the ball repeatedly and draws his share of walks. His combination of hitting ability and bat speed could produce 15-20 homers per season. 

An average runner, Francisca plays quicker than his pure speed because of his instincts and aggressive nature on the bases. He has a chance to stick at shortstop, where he shows some range to both sides and solid arm strength. If he winds up moving, he should be able to fit the offensive and defensive profile at either second or third base.

Awards

ACL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2024

CAR Player of the Week

Week	Team
08/11/2024

DSL Mid-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/05/2026	SS Welbyn Francisca assigned to Cleveland Guardians Prospects.
	02/26/2026	SS Welbyn Francisca assigned to Cleveland Guardians.
	11/24/2025	SS Welbyn Francisca assigned to Toros del Este.
	10/01/2025	Lynchburg Hillcats activated SS Welbyn Francisca from the 7-day injured list.
	08/26/2025	Lynchburg Hillcats placed SS Welbyn Francisca on the 7-day injured list retroactive to August 25, 2025.
	03/15/2025	SS Welbyn Francisca assigned to Cleveland Guardians.
	03/06/2025	activated SS Welbyn Francisca.
	07/29/2024	SS Welbyn Francisca assigned to Lynchburg Hillcats from ACL Guardians.
	05/03/2024	SS Welbyn Francisca assigned to ACL Guardians from DSL CLE Mendoza.
	07/29/2023	DSL AL All-Stars activated SS Welbyn Francisca.
	06/03/2023	SS Welbyn Francisca assigned to DSL Guardians Blue.
	01/15/2023	Cleveland Guardians signed free agent SS Welbyn Francisca to a minor league contract.