Gators’ Franks: Baseball can be a ‘backup job’

HOOVER, Ala. — Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks just isn’t ruling out a profession in baseball after being drafted by the Boston Purple Sox final month however stays dedicated to soccer.

“My profession is soccer,” he mentioned Monday at SEC media days. “My essential focus is soccer [in] faculty, then hopefully a profession within the NFL. Then [baseball] is type of like a backup plan, backup job.”

The Purple Sox chosen Franks, a pitcher, within the 31st spherical of the 2019 MLB draft. In saying Franks’ signing final week, the Purple Sox mentioned he would “report back to a membership [in the team’s system] at a date to be decided.”

Franks, who has not performed baseball since his junior season in highschool, mentioned Monday he threw 94 mph in a exercise for the Purple Sox.

Feleipe Franks is specializing in soccer regardless of being drafted by the Boston Purple Sox. Mike Zarrilli/Getty Photos

“I have never thrown shortly, so I wasn’t excellent, however I used to be within the strike zone,” Franks mentioned. “I threw 88, 89 [in high school]. I threw tougher however I do not know the way. I actually have not picked up a baseball in 4 or 5 years. I do not know — it simply got here pure.”

Florida coach Dan Mullen referred to as Franks’ choice by Boston a “nice honor” for his redshirt junior quarterback. Mullen additionally coached former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow earlier than the Heisman Trophy winner restarted his baseball profession the New York Mets’ farm system.

“Possibly when soccer is finished, possibly he has a future in baseball,” Mullen mentioned Monday. “I might be actually excited for him and actually completely satisfied for him. I am glad it was the Purple Sox. I am an enormous Purple Sox fan.”