From the Collection: Franmil Reyes, 1b, Leones del Escogido
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Coming into the 2022 season, Cleveland assumed that Franmil Reyes was the long-term answer at first base. In 2021 Reyes hit 30 HR with a 128 OPS+, and was only 25 years old. Sure, power-hitting first basemen don’t always age well, but it was safe to assume he should remain a potent bat for the next couple of years. But the wheels came flying off in 2022. Franmil hit .221 with 14 HR through 280 at-bats and was released by the team halfway through the season. What’s a shame is that he was the last player that remained in the organization from the 2019 Trevor Bauer trade, which in retrospect didn’t work out all that great.
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Franmil spent the last two seasons with the Cubs and Royals but is not the same player that he was in 2021. It’s a shame. But, he is having a solid showing in the Dominican Winter League, where he has 23 HR and a solid .826 OPS. He is 27, so there is no reason he should not get another chance with a big-league club.
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I was able to get this autograph in person back in 2014, when Reyes was with the Padres low-A team.