Nicholas
Franklin

Verbally committed to Longwood University.

Uncommitted. Physical 6-foot-2, 225-pound backstop with strength throughout, particularly in the lower half. Started behind the plate for Father McGivney in this look and hit in the seven spot. Looked the part defensively, comfortably handling a high-end arm with soft hands and down-to-up glovework, presenting the baseball properly. Offensively, drove two balls with authority to the deepest part of the park from a long, uphill bat path. 

C Nicholas Franklin (Father McGivney Catholic, IL, 2024) doesn’t lack size or strength, standing at 6-foot-2, 225-pounds. Franklin swung one of the day’s loudest right-handed bats, generating easy bat (77.8 mph) and hand (24.6 mph) speed on a long, uphill attack angle. He tied for the day’s highest average batted distance (266 ft.), and his 325 ft. max checked in at third amongst this event’s participants. Aside from consistently elevating the baseball, Franklin found the barrel with authority throughout, averaging 87.1 mph per batted ball with a max of 94.2 mph. The junior backstop enjoyed plenty of success at Father McGivney last spring, slashing .330/.516/.545 with 10 extra-base hits, and he’ll look to do so again with the season starting shortly.

Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 6-2, 225-pounds. Large physical frame with present strength throughout.
Hits: RHH. Balanced lower half, open base, bat starts rested over back shoulder, hands tip at load, lead leg lifts to footstrike. Strong hands, short and uphill through the zone, gap-to-gap approach with pull-side juice.
Power: 94 max exit velocity, averaged 87.1 MPH. 326' max distance.
Arm: RH. C-72 mph. Short arm action, over-the-top slot. Accurate around the bag at times.
Defense: 2.05-2.14 pop times. Moves well out the crouch, feet gain ground towards target, quick hand transfer to release.

One of the top catchers in attendance was Nicholas Franklin (Father McGivney). Franklin has an imposing frame, standing 6-foot-1, 225-pounds. At the plate, the right-handed hitter moves with a fluid rhythm; remaining flat through the zone with bat-strength and a middle/pull-side approach (93.3 max EV; 70.8 avg. bat-speed). Defensively, he’s a steady receiver of the baseball and moves with a clean transfer and direct footwork to second - reaching as low as 2.09 for his pop-time (T72 mph C).  

Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 6-1, 225-pounds. Sturdy, strong overall build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly open setup, stride works back to closed. Fluid rhythm, natural lift, stayed on the barrel up the middle and to his pull-side. Present bat-strength.
Power: 93 max exit velocity, averaged 87.5 mph. 332’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. Clean arm, plays loose, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.09-2.27 pop times. Wide, one-knee setup receiving. Soft hands, clean and efficient transfer.
Run: 7.47 runner in the 60.