Leones del Escogido release Wander Franco amid roster cuts before draft
Dominican team Leones del Escogido cut shortstop Wander Franco as part of a pre-draft roster reduction, ending his chance to play in the upcoming winter league.
Leones del Escogido disclosed on Saturday that shortstop Wander Franco was among four players let go as the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) conducts its roster evaluation and reserve-reduction ahead of the upcoming draft. General manager Carlos Pena framed the action as an operational decision aligned with the club’s sporting plan for the next season, not a direct assessment of Franco’s talent. Franco, a former Tampa Bay Rays All-Star who signed an 11-year, $182 million contract in 2021, has been sidelined since his 2024 arrest in the Dominican Republic on allegations involving a minor.
In May, a Dominican judge declared him criminally responsible for sexual and psychological abuse but issued a judicial pardon that spared him imprisonment, while sentencing the victim’s mother to jail. MLB placed Franco on the restricted list and continues its own investigation under its domestic-violence policy. The release removes another potential avenue for Franco’s return to professional baseball, leaving his future in limbo.
Why it matters
The cut ends Franco's last realistic path back to professional baseball after his legal troubles.
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