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Rays promoting prospect Wander Franco to Charlotte

Eighteen-year-old was recently tabbed the game’s top prospect
 
Wander Franco, the Rays top prospect, played in the St. Petersburg International Baseball Series in March. DIRK SHADD   |   Times
Wander Franco, the Rays top prospect, played in the St. Petersburg International Baseball Series in March. DIRK SHADD | Times
Published June 24, 2019|Updated June 24, 2019

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Rays are promoting top prospect Wander Franco to high Class-A Charlotte this week.

The promotion was expected to come soon, and he is expected to report to the Stone Crabs on Tuesday. It’s uncertain whether he will make his debut that night when Charlotte hosts Fort Myers.

Franco is hitting .318/.390/.506 with six homers and 29 RBIs in 62 games at low Class-A Bowling Green.

The 18-year-old was recently anointed the game’s top prospect by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline after the three players ahead of him -- Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr., San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. and the White Sox’s Eloy Jimenez -- made their big-league arrivals this season.

The Rays also promoted Charlotte shortstop Taylor Walls to Double-A Montgomery. Walls, a Florida State product who was drafted in the third round two years ago, is hitting .269/.339/.417 and was successful on 13 of 19 stolen-base attempts with the Stone Crabs.

Contact Eduardo A. Encina at eencina@tampabay.com. Follow @EddieInTheYard.