Franco Alemán (born June 26, 2000) is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2026.
| Franco Alemán | |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Guardians – No. 55 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: June 26, 2000 Yaguajay, Cuba | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 10, 2026, for the Cleveland Guardians | |
| MLB statistics (through May 12, 2026) | |
| Win–loss record | 0–0 |
| Earned run average | 3.38 |
| Strikeouts | 1 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Amateur career
editAlemán was born in Cuba and defected to the United States with his family when he was 11.[1] He attended Braulio Alonso High School in Tampa, Florida. He was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 38th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign. Alemán started his college baseball career at Florida International University (FIU) for a year before transferring to St. Johns River State College and then the University of Florida.[2] In 2019, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[3]
Professional career
editAfter one year at Florida, Alemán was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB draft, and signed.[4] He made his professional debut in 2022 with the Lynchburg Hillcats. He pitched 2023 with the Lake County Captains and Akron RubberDucks.
Alemán spent 2024 with the Triple–A Columbus Clippers, making 24 appearances and logging a 1.99 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 2 saves across 22+2⁄3 innings pitched.[5]
On November 19, 2024, the Guardians added Alemán to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[6] On February 27, 2025, Alemán was ruled out for 4–6 weeks after undergoing surgery for a left hip inguinal hernia.[7] He would go on to make 37 relief appearances for Columbus, but struggled to a 2-5 record and 7.85 ERA with 57 strikeouts and five saves across 36+2⁄3 innings pitched.
Alemán was optioned to Triple-A Columbus to begin the 2026 season,[8] where he recorded 13 scoreless appearances with 18 strikeouts and three saves. On May 8, 2026, Alemán was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[9]
References
edit- ↑ Page, Rodney. "From Cuba to Tampa to the majors for Alonso's Franco Aleman?". tampabay.com. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- ↑ Derderian, Steve. "PLAYING WITH A PURPOSE". capecodtimes.com. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
- ↑ "#37 Franco Aleman - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ↑ Bell, Mandy. "These pitchers could factor into the Guardians' bullpen soon". mlb.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
- ↑ Hoynes, Paul (March 10, 2024). "Hard-throwing right-hander makes eye-opening save: Guardians spring training breakfast". cleveland.com. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ↑ Franco, Anthony (November 19, 2024). "Guardians Designate Three Players For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors.
- ↑ "Franco Aleman Undergoes Hernia Procedure". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
- ↑ "Espino optioned, but Guardians hope to see him in Majors in '26". mlb.com. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Guardians To Recall Franco Alemán For MLB Debut". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
External links
edit- Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors)