ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – AUGUST 12: Wander Franco #5 of the Tampa Bay Rays watches from the field during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field on August 12, 2023 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
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Wander Franco’s once-promising baseball career has hit another unexpected setback as the former Tampa Bay Rays All-Star shortstop continues to deal with the fallout from his legal troubles.
Franco, long regarded as one of Major League Baseball’s most talented young infielders, appeared positioned to become a franchise cornerstone after agreeing to an 11-year, $182 million contract in 2021. That trajectory changed dramatically when authorities in the Dominican Republic opened an investigation into allegations involving a minor, a case that led to Franco’s arrest in January 2024 and kept him away from professional baseball.
The case took a striking turn in May, when a judge in the Dominican Republic ruled that Franco was criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor. However, the court also granted him a judicial pardon, allowing him to avoid prison time, while the victim’s mother was sentenced to jail.
“It seems contradictory to declare criminal responsibility and, at the same time, exempt him from punishment,” Judge José Antonio Núñez wrote in the decision, according to ESPN News Services. “The court has granted Wander Franco a judicial pardon due to the particular circumstances that made him a material victim, but not a legal one.”
While that ruling did not clear a path back to the major leagues, Franco had appeared on track to resume playing in the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM). Now, even that comeback attempt has been interrupted after he was suddenly released by his new team.
Former MLB Superstar Wander Franco Suddenly Released By New Team
LIDOM’s Leones del Escogido announced Saturday that Franco was among four players released as part of the league’s roster evaluation and reserve-reduction process ahead of its draft.
“The Leones del Escogido announced this Saturday the release of four players, including shortstop Wander Franco, as part of the regulatory process of evaluation and reserve reduction prior to the draft of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM),” according to a translated report from Hoy.
Escogido general manager Carlos Pena characterized the decision as a roster move rather than a specific judgment on Franco, though it is hard to imagine Franco being unable to contribute to the team for talent reasons alone.
“As part of the evaluation and reserve reduction process that is done in a regulated manner before the draft, we have made the decision to release Gerlin Rosario, Wander Franco, William Lugo, and Bryan Gonzalez,” Pena said, according to Listin Diario. “It’s an operational decision that responds to the team’s needs and our sporting plan for next season. We wish them all the best in their next steps.”
$182 Million Tampa Bay Rays Shortstop Faces Uncertain Baseball Future
The release represents another obstacle for a player whose professional career once appeared destined for long-term stardom.
Franco debuted with Tampa Bay in 2021 and quickly established himself as an elite young shortstop. The Rays rewarded him with one of the largest contracts in franchise history, but his career was effectively put on hold after the investigation began.
MLB placed Franco on the restricted list in 2024, and the league has continued to conduct its own review under its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. The Rays previously said they would cooperate with MLB’s investigation and declined further comment while the legal process continued.
Franco’s release from Escogido does not itself determine what happens next in his baseball career. However, with his MLB future already uncertain and his Dominican league team now moving on, another potential avenue for returning to professional baseball has closed.
