Fireworks Tonight In Lehigh Valley: Catch One Of Minor League Baseball's Most Exciting Teams

A firework special will conclude the Lehigh Valley IronPigs game against the Charlotte Knights on Friday, but it won’t be the only fireworks that have been let out by players from the organization in recent weeks.

Maikel Franco, who spent most of last year and the beginning of this year in Lehigh Valley, has exploded upon the national scene since being called up by the Phillies last week.

He’s batting .259 with a home run, five RBI’s, two doubles, and only three strikeouts in seven games since being called up.

Franco struggled during a brief call up at the end of last season, and didn’t look great this year in spring training. The 34 games he played in Lehigh Valley, then, are starting to look like a crucial tune-up in the hours before the dawn of what Phillies fans are hoping is an All Star career.

Franco has settled right into the middle of the Phillies lineup, batting 5th and playing third base every day. The organization is hoping that he approaches anything close to what scouts have predicted is possible for him.

Before a rough year last year, Franco was rated the #17 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball Prospectus. He came into 2015 ranked #55, and he’s playing like a guy who has something to prove.

Franco is but one of many exciting players that have passed through - or will pass through - Lehigh Valley this year.

It is a unique time for the IronPigs, as Phillies regulars Cody Asche and Domonic Brown are also part of team, at least for now.

Asche, the Phillies everyday third basemen last year, has been identified by Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. as a key part of the organization’s future. But Franco is the first choice at that position, and Asche was demoted to AAA to learn how to play left field.

The expectation is that he’ll be promoted to Philadelphia soon. He sports a .275 average with 3 doubles in 9 games for Lehigh Valley.

Brown missed the start of the season to an Achilles injury, but has been on a tear the last 10 games, batting .341. It seems likely he will be recalled soon, especially if there is anything to the Ben Revere trade rumors.

In the meantime, though, two quality MLB-caliber starters are playing every day in Lehigh Valley.

Perhaps even more exciting, though, is who is on the way.

Franco is only the number 3 prospect in the Phillies organization, according to most rankings. Starting pitcher Aaron Nola, who the Phillies selected in the first round of the 2014 draft, is their number 2 prospect, and is currently tearing up the competition in AA-Reading. Many predict he’ll be joining the major league club before the end of the year, so a stop in Lehigh Valley is likely in the immediate future.

And the Phillies top prospect, shortstop J.P. Crawford, who is currently in high A-Clearwater, will likely be promoted to Reading soon and could be in the Lehigh Valley by the end of the year, according to some reports.

It’s an exciting time for the Phillies farm system, as they hunt for their next Hamels, Howard, Utley, and Rollins. Who knows? The future World Series MVP might be in Lehigh Valley this year.

Catch the IronPigs in action this weekend against the Charlotte Knights. They play at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, 6:35 p.m. on Saturday, and 1:35 p.m. on Sunday. A Friday night fireworks special is on tap. Tickets are available here.