Former Arkansas outfielder Christian Franklin reached a major career milestone Friday night, recording his first Major League hit for the Baltimore Orioles.
Franklin doubled down the right-field line in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers. The hit came just three days after he made his MLB debut with Baltimore.
Background
Before reaching the majors, Franklin spent three seasons with the Arkansas Razorbacks from 2019-21. He appeared in 141 games for head coach Dave Van Horn, batting .288 with 22 home runs, 99 RBIs and 27 doubles.
Franklin was an important part of several successful Arkansas teams. As a freshman, he helped the Razorbacks advance to the 2019 College World Series. He later earned third-team All-America, All-SEC Second Team, and SEC All-Defensive Team honors during the 2021 season.
The Chicago Cubs selected Franklin in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft. His journey to the majors included overcoming a torn patellar tendon that sidelined him for the entire 2022 season. He later spent time in the Cubs and Washington Nationals organizations before joining Baltimore in 2026.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
