FRANCO ALEMAN ARMAS: Named All-State First Team selection at Alonso High School, after finishing his senior season with a 9-1 record, 0.59 ERA and 106 strikeouts across 72.0 innings...High school coach was the father of Detroit's Alex Faedo, who also attended Alonso HS and UF. Began his college career at Florida International University with Logan Allen. Spent the 2020 season at St. Johns River State College (Lakeside, FL) Myles Straw also attended St. Johns...Joined the University of Florida for his junior season where he went 2-4 with a 5.74 ERA (44ER/69.0IP) with 65 strikeouts and 21 walks in 23 appearances/nine starts in 2021. Pitched for Falmouth in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2019, posting a 2-0 record with a 1.16 ERA (4ER/31.0IP) 27 strikeouts and 2 walks in 6 starts. Lived in Cuba until he was 11 years old...His dad was a dentist who began working in Venezuela when Franco was 7 in a doctor exchange program between the two countries...Father was later granted asylum by the Obama administration and was afforded entry into the US...Favorite teams growing up were the Yankees and Red Sox.
2024
Enjoyed a productive season when healthy, was limited to 24 relief appearances around a three-month stay on the injured list due to a right oblique strain, May 9-Aug. 15... Upon returning to the active roster in mid-August, he did not allow an earned run over his final 11 regular season outings (9.1IP, 6H, 2R/0ER, 3BB, 10SO)...On the year averaged 13.5 K/9 IP and just 5.6 H/9 IP, yielding just 1 HR in 22.2 innings...Recorded a strikeout in 21 of 24 outings... Limited left-handed hitters to a .160 (4-for-25) average against while RHH batted .196 (10-for-51)...Did not allow an ER from 6/24/23-3/31/24 (26.0IP, 6BB, 41K).
2023
Split the season between High-A Lake County and AA Akron...Owned a 2-2 record with a 5.52 ERA (19ER/31.0IP) in 20 appearances for the Captains...Struck out 46 batters in 31 IP...Was promoted to Double-A Akron on July 1...Proved to be dominant in his time with the RubberDucks, boasting a 0.00 ERA (0ER/24.0IP) with seven saves, 38 strikeouts, five walks and nine hits allowed in 19 appearances...Opened up his time in Akron with a 22.1 scoreless innings streak, striking out 33 batters and walking five, while allowing six hits over that stretch...Finished the 2023 season second in strikeouts (84) and third in SO % (36.1%) among relievers in the Player Development system (min. 40.0IP)...Did not allow an ER over his last 25 innings...0HR last 33.2IP...On the year lefties hit .154/.245/.275/.520.
