Francisco was an older sign from the Dominican, already in his late teens when he took a $10K bonus with the Phillies. He just turned 21 and is more lottery ticket than surefire prospect, though the arm-strength and feel to spin stand out. He struck out more than a batter per inning in the GCL last summer as a 20-year-old but was very hittable, struggling to pitch late in games and avoid barrels despite generating swinging strikes.

At 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Francisco has a medium, muscular build that’s filled out through the middle. Pitching from a full windup that breaks over his head, the righty fires fastballs in the 92-to-95 mph range with consistent armside run. He sprays the zone with minimal command, just aiming for the plate and letting his velocity do the work. Francisco’s 76-to-80 mph breaking ball flashed sharp action and depth at times, but was inconsistent overall and got slurvy on occasion. He has a mid-80s changeup that shows glimpses of hard bottoming finish, but like the breaking ball, it’s also inconsistent.

Francisco is a good example of how a player’s age means a lot on the complex. If he were a few years younger, this body type and flashes of stuff would clear the FV 40 threshold pretty easily. At 21, though, he’s a bit behind the curve and likely to wind up in the ‘pen. It would not be a shock if he emerges as a middle relief prospect upon reaching full-season ball, but until then, he’s a better fit in the 35+ category and worth a follow this summer when short-season ball opens up.