San Diego Padres call up veteran outfielder Jeff Francoeur
By Joel Burdeos
San Diego, CA- The San Diego Padres have called up veteran major league outfielder Jeff Francoeur from Triple-A El Paso. Francoeur was having a solid season batting .294 with 15 home runs and 60 RBI’s for El Paso. Francoeur also made seven pitching appearances for El Paso as a reliever with a 4.26 ERA in 6.1 innings of work.
More from San Diego Padres
- The Padres Can Come Out From Under Bud Black’s Hole
- Memo To Padres: Sign Justin Upton To A Long-Term Deal ASAP
- Padres’ latest bold move puts them among elite
- San Diego Padres and Braves have emerged as the frontrunners for Cuban slugger Yasmany Tomas
- Report: San Diego Padres are looking to make a big headline-grabbing splash
Jeff Francoeur replaces recently suspended Cameron Maybin on the teams 25-man roster. In a corresponding move the Padres have promoted top outfield prospect Rymer Liriano to Triple-A El Paso.
Jeff Francoeur signed with the Padres on a minor league deal in late March at the end of spring training.
Jeff Francoeur whose only 30 years old spent the entire spring with the Cleveland Indians after signing a minor league deal and hit .286 with one home run and 10 RBIs in 39 at-bats for the Indians. Unfortunately for Francoeur that wasn’t enough to make the team, as the Indians released him at the end of spring training.
Live Feed
Friars on Base
Francoeur is a career .263 hitter with 140 home-runs and 618 RBI’s in his nine year Major League career with the Braves, Mets, Rangers, Royals and Giants.
Francoeur has had an up and down career so far, after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the 2002 MLB draft out of high school. Francoeur advanced quickly through the Braves minor league system and was at one point the Braves top prospect. Francoeur made his Major League debut in the second half of the 2005 season and finished the season batting .300 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs. Francoeur’s break out season came in 2006 when he hit .260 with 29 homers and 103 RBIs in his first full season with the Braves. The following season Francoeur hit .293 with 19 home-runs, 105 RBI’s and won his first career Gold Glove.
Francoeur struggled mightily in the 2008 season and was eventually sent down to Double-A and didn’t return to the majors till the end of the season. Francoeur then spent a few seasons with the Mets and Rangers as a utility outfielder, until he became a starter again with the Kansas City Royals in 2011 and seemed to return to his previous form batting .285 with 20 home-runs and 87 RBI’s for the Royals.
Francoeur’s career would once again take a downward turn from their as he struggled mightily with the Royals in 2012 and was released by the Royals in 2013. He signed with the San Francisco Giants after being released, but was released by the Giants at the end of the 2013 season.