Don’t get me wrong here… Jordan Wicks was a very good first round pick while James Triantos was fine in the second and so was Drew Grey in the third. But Christian Franklin is my favorite pick by the Cubs in the 2021 Draft and it’s not even close. In taking Franklin, the Cubs basically took a five tool guy that they’ll have to work on only one thing as a pro and that’s his tendency to strike out a little too much. They can be fixed. Franklin comes with speed, power, hit tool, a great arm, and a great work ethic. He is a five tool player that the Cubs got at pick number 123.
Basic Info
Age – 21
Height – 5-foot-11
Weighed – 195
Bats – Right
Throws – Right
School – Arkansas
What I Said on Draft Day
My Thoughts – I love this pick!!! I am excited the Cubs got a natural CF and a guy who can legit hit good pitching. Power is iffy, but the hit tool is his calling card.
In writing this profile, I didn’t want to spill everything in the first paragraph, but I think I did. I was a little bit too effusive in my praise of Franklin‘s talents, but that’s how much I believe in what he can do. I already have him in my top 21 Cubs Prospects and, once he begins playing, he’ll probably start moving up the list quite a bit. How he takes to pro instruction is going to be a big key to his growth.
I’ve been aware of Franklin for a couple of years now. When the first draft rankings came out this spring, I was not surprised to see him at the back of the first round. Back then, I thought he would or could rise up to the middle of the first round at best. He got off to a slow start and had a lot of strikeouts early in the season and his stock plummeted. It didn’t just sink, it fell through the floor.
Most of the high school kids in the draft had an advantage because they did not stop playing in the summer of 2020 where as the colleges cut the season short and the summer wooden bat leagues did not come to be so there was not really a place for them to play. It took Franklin a while to get his bearings straight and then he had a very good second half of the season at Arkansas.
As a freshman Razorback, Franklin hit a respectable .263 with 6 Home runs and 34 RBIs as he played in 62 games in 2019. In 2020, Arkansas season was cut short after 16 games. For Franklin, it was a sad moment as he was just obliterating the ball. He was hitting .381 with an on base percentage of .467 to go along with three home runs and 11 RBI.
In 2021, I previously mentioned Franklin slow start, but he rebounded to hit .274 with a .405 OBP and he had 16 home runs and drove in 54 over 61 games. The strike out percentage was high 28%, but so was his walk rate at 16%. It’s clear that he knows the strike zone, but is he just trying to do too much.
As for 2022…
I’m hoping the Franklin will begin the year in South Bend. Then, by the end of the year he could make his way to Tennessee. The thing about moving up now is that he’s really going to have to make the Cubs promote him considering the depth of the Cubs have acquired over the last two months. He’s going to have his work cut out for him, but this is a talented kid who’s already been blessed with all the right skills he needs to succeed. He just needs to cut down on the strikeouts. I’m excited to see him play on both offense and defense.
MLB Pipeline Thoughts
Franklin has shown marked improvement in his plate discipline since his freshman year, and if he can put together quality at-bats on a regular basis, he might be a 20-20 player. His bat speed and strength create power to all fields from the right side of the plate, and he produces impressive exit velocities. He has the quickness and savvy to steal bases, though scouts have noted he’s not running quite as fast this year as he had previously.
Franklin covers plenty of ground in center field thanks to his speed and instincts. He has a stronger arm than most at his position and throws well enough to handle either corner. If he doesn’t hit enough to be a big league regular, he has the tools to become a useful fourth outfielder.
Cubs Central 
Todd, great insight. This sort of selection is one the Cubs just would not have made, at least until the last couple of years. Tons of projection. Had success and was productive at Arkansas, but possibly with more in the tank. Potential for a lot more ceiling. Very exciting to see.
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Jimmy, curious to why you think the Cubs wouldn’t be interested until only recently. They didn’t exactly shy away from college hitters previously
I like that Franklin pick much, imagine a useful and versatile 4th OF with a shot to start
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