Impact freshmen have become something of a tradition at TCU. Chase Brunson in 2024, followed by Sawyer Strosnider and Noah Franco in 2025, headline a growing track record of young hitters making immediate impacts in Fort Worth. While it’s normally far too early to draw conclusions after one series, the Horned Frogs may already have their next difference-maker.
We were higher than almost everyone when it pertained to Lucas Franco in the 2025 MLB Draft. He was ranked No. 51 on our final board but pulled his name out of the draft to honor his commitment to TCU.
Out of high school, Franco was known for his ultra-projectable 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame, advanced defensive actions, and picturesque left-handed swing. Some were a bit skeptical of the bat due to an underwhelming summer circuit in which he hit just .204 with a .595 OPS, but the hope was that components of the offensive profile would improve with maturation and added muscle.
Franco arrived on campus as one of the top freshmen in the country and carried high expectations — he wasted little time validating the preseason buzz.
Unlike most higher-caliber freshmen playing in their first few games, Franco wasn’t facing mid-major competition. Three different SEC opponents in three days is a tall task, especially considering the likes of Hunter Dietz and Connor Fennell as opponents, both notable draft prospects in their own right.
Franco started at shortstop for TCU’s opening matchup against Vanderbilt on Friday. His first at-bat didn’t come until the third inning, but he made his presence felt. With Vanderbilt’s ace Connor Fennell on the mound, Franco jumped on the second pitch he saw, turning on a fastball thrown toward the inner part of the plate for a rocket that left the bat at 107.3 mph. Franco missed a home run by just bare inches, flying out to the base of the wall.
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Franco would get a similar pitch in his second at-bat, and this time it wouldn’t stay in the park. Frankly, it wasn’t even close. Franco absolutely unloaded on a fastball up and in, sending it 417 feet into the right-field bleachers at Globe Life Field. The ball left the bat at 113 mph. Yes — Lucas Franco, the same skinny 6-foot-3 kid who was in high school just months ago, hit a ball 113 mph in his second collegiate at-bat.
Since arriving on campus, Franco has put on 10 pounds of lean muscle, resulting in a huge uptick in bat speed. Perhaps most notable — there is still significant physical projection remaining. It’s already plus raw power, and there’s more coming.
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Franco would continue to impress in his first college game, splitting the gap with a line drive the opposite way and showing off the exciting run tool on his way into third base for a triple.
The rest of Franco’s weekend followed a similar script — quality at-bat after quality at-bat. Despite logging some of his first collegiate plate appearances, he looked remarkably comfortable in the box. The approach was mature and patient, with minimal chase, and when he chose to swing, he made it count. By the end of the weekend, Franco had worked his way into the cleanup spot in the Horned Frogs’ lineup. While he did strike out twice in the final game against Oklahoma, the glimpses of what he could become are more than exciting.
It’s early, but Franco has looked every bit like one of the premier freshmen in the country. If these first looks are any indication of what lies ahead for the TCU shortstop, don’t be surprised if we’re talking about him as an early first-round pick in 2028. The arrow is pointing straight up.