2 0 1 8 ▁ML B ▁draft ▁and ▁he ▁signed ▁for ▁$ 9 9 7 , 5 0 0 . ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁professional ▁debut ▁for ▁the ▁Hudson ▁Valley ▁Ren eg ades , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁a ▁New ▁York - P enn ▁League ▁All - Star , ▁and ▁spent ▁the ▁whole ▁season ▁there , ▁slash ing ▁. 2 8 8 /. 4 2 5 /. 4 1 2 ▁with ▁two ▁home ▁runs ▁and ▁ 2 2 ▁R B Is ▁in ▁ 5 1 ▁games . ▁Frank ▁began ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁with ▁the ▁Charlotte ▁Stone ▁C rab s , ▁but ▁appeared ▁in ▁only ▁ 1 6 ▁due ▁to ▁an ▁arm ▁injury . ▁ ▁Austin ▁Franklin ▁ ▁Austin ▁T . ▁Franklin ▁( born ▁October ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 9 7 ) ▁is ▁an ▁American ▁professional ▁baseball ▁pitch er ▁in ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁R ays ▁organization . ▁ ▁Franklin ▁attended ▁Flor ala ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Flor ala , ▁Alabama ▁as ▁a ▁fresh man ▁and ▁a ▁s oph om ore ▁before ▁transfer ring ▁to ▁Pa xt on ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Pa xt on , ▁Florida . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁as ▁a ▁junior ▁at ▁Pa xt on , ▁he ▁pitch ed ▁to ▁a ▁ 6 - 2 ▁record ▁with ▁ 1 . 5 1 ▁E RA , ▁striking ▁out ▁ 9 5 ▁bat ters ▁in ▁ 4 1 . 2 ▁inn ings . ▁He ▁signed ▁to ▁play ▁college ▁baseball ▁at ▁Sam ford ▁University . ▁After ▁his ▁senior