2023 / AS A SENIOR
• Academic All-Big Ten
2022 / AS A JUNIOR
• Played in 26 games, making 10 starts
• Despite missing all of fall practice while recovering from an offseason injury, was the season-opening starter in right field
• Made all 10 of his starts in right field, including the first two Big Ten games of the season
• Delivered a sac fly for the second run of Purdue’s four-run ninth inning rally in the 11-inning win vs. Longwood to complete the sweep
• Singled, delivered a sac fly and was hit by a pitch in his three productive plate appearances in the game 2 win at Penn State
• Singled twice, drove in a run and scored a run in the midweek home game vs. UIC
• Singled and scored in game 2 of the season-opening sweep of South Dakota State
BEFORE PURDUE
• Played his first three collegiate seasons at Manhattan College, serving as a three-year starting outfielder
• Batted .353 with 10 home runs in 2021 to earn first-team All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference honors
• MAAC All-Rookie Team honoree in 2019 after batting .301 with 14 XBH and 31 RBI
• Posted a 22-game hit streak and 26-game reached safely streak, including a 16-game run to begin the 2021 season
• Ranked second in the MAAC in home runs in 2021, compiling an impressive 1.150 OPS in 28 games
• Got off to a hot start before the shutdown in 2020, batting .321 with 6 XBH over 14 games
• Enjoyed a strong showing at the 2019 MAAC Tournament, including a combined 5-for-8 showing as Manhattan beat Marist and top-seeded Canisius on the same day
• MAAC Player of the Week in March 2020 after a 6-for-12 series vs. Albany in which he had multiple hits in all three games
• Named MAAC Rookie of the Week in May 2019 after hitting safely in all three games of sweep of Saint Peter’s, a 6-of-10 series in which he connected for four extra-base hits, stole four bases, drove in five runs and scored eight times
• Career Stats at Manhattan: .302/.393/.533, 20 2B, 15 HR, 61 RBI in 90 GP
• Two-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner for coach Mike Amendola at Clarkstown South High School, located between the Hudson River and New York’s Palisades Parkway
• Two-time Viking award, coaches award and team MVP as an upperclassman
• Team captain as a senior, helping lead CSHS to a section championship
• Also played football as a freshman
• Began his prep career at Saint Joseph Regional and played travel ball for the Rockland Royals
PERSONAL
• Major: American Studies
• Full name is Samuel Joseph Franco
• Born in White Plains, New York
• Parents are Albert and Margaret Franco
PURDUE PERSONAL PREFERENCES
Favorite Pro Team: New York Yankees
Traditionally Roots Against (Pro Rival): Boston Red Sox
Favorite Athlete: Mike Trout
Had the Biggest Impact on His Athletic Career: Margaret Franco - Mother
Favorite Playoff Marquee Event: World Series
Favorite Pro Stadium: Yankee Stadium
Favorite Field He’s Played at (Besides Alexander): Melching Field
Toughest Pitcher for Him to Face Among Teammates: CJ Backer
Current MLB Pitcher He’d Like to Face: Jacob deGrom
Funniest Teammate: Jake Jarvis
Current Teammate with the Best Baseball Instincts: Couper Cornbulm
Purdue Staff Member He Enjoys Strongest Connection With: Casey Kohr
In His Favorite Playlist: The Beatles
Would Love to See Him Play at Purdue: Foreigner
Favorite Multi-Media App: Netflix
Favorite Super-Hero Series: Arrow
Show He Can’t Stop Watching: The Witcher
Favorite Video Game: Call of Duty
Favorite Month: July
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Pick One – Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner: Dinner
Favorite Food: Linguini with White Clam Sauce
Favorite Dessert: Candy
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Hiking
Another Sport He Enjoys Playing: Football
Favorite Purdue Building: Grissom Hall
Favorite Big City: Boston
Unique Travel Locale: Ireland
Country He’d Like to Visit: Ireland
Pick One for a Vacation – Beach or Mountains: Beach
Favorite Costume at the Alexander Halloween Bash: Corbin Malott as a Bag of Cheetos
Favorite Thing About Alexander Field: The grass
Most Memorable Game/Moment at Purdue: Going Undefeated to Start the Season
Top Sports Moment Prior to Purdue: Homer to Tie the Game against Fairfield
Enjoyed this Professor’s Class: Professor Yvonne M. Pitts – American Studies
Furry Friend: Max, Boxer
• Academic All-Big Ten
2022 / AS A JUNIOR
• Played in 26 games, making 10 starts
• Despite missing all of fall practice while recovering from an offseason injury, was the season-opening starter in right field
• Made all 10 of his starts in right field, including the first two Big Ten games of the season
• Delivered a sac fly for the second run of Purdue’s four-run ninth inning rally in the 11-inning win vs. Longwood to complete the sweep
• Singled, delivered a sac fly and was hit by a pitch in his three productive plate appearances in the game 2 win at Penn State
• Singled twice, drove in a run and scored a run in the midweek home game vs. UIC
• Singled and scored in game 2 of the season-opening sweep of South Dakota State
BEFORE PURDUE
• Played his first three collegiate seasons at Manhattan College, serving as a three-year starting outfielder
• Batted .353 with 10 home runs in 2021 to earn first-team All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference honors
• MAAC All-Rookie Team honoree in 2019 after batting .301 with 14 XBH and 31 RBI
• Posted a 22-game hit streak and 26-game reached safely streak, including a 16-game run to begin the 2021 season
• Ranked second in the MAAC in home runs in 2021, compiling an impressive 1.150 OPS in 28 games
• Got off to a hot start before the shutdown in 2020, batting .321 with 6 XBH over 14 games
• Enjoyed a strong showing at the 2019 MAAC Tournament, including a combined 5-for-8 showing as Manhattan beat Marist and top-seeded Canisius on the same day
• MAAC Player of the Week in March 2020 after a 6-for-12 series vs. Albany in which he had multiple hits in all three games
• Named MAAC Rookie of the Week in May 2019 after hitting safely in all three games of sweep of Saint Peter’s, a 6-of-10 series in which he connected for four extra-base hits, stole four bases, drove in five runs and scored eight times
• Career Stats at Manhattan: .302/.393/.533, 20 2B, 15 HR, 61 RBI in 90 GP
• Two-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner for coach Mike Amendola at Clarkstown South High School, located between the Hudson River and New York’s Palisades Parkway
• Two-time Viking award, coaches award and team MVP as an upperclassman
• Team captain as a senior, helping lead CSHS to a section championship
• Also played football as a freshman
• Began his prep career at Saint Joseph Regional and played travel ball for the Rockland Royals
PERSONAL
• Major: American Studies
• Full name is Samuel Joseph Franco
• Born in White Plains, New York
• Parents are Albert and Margaret Franco
PURDUE PERSONAL PREFERENCES
Favorite Pro Team: New York Yankees
Traditionally Roots Against (Pro Rival): Boston Red Sox
Favorite Athlete: Mike Trout
Had the Biggest Impact on His Athletic Career: Margaret Franco - Mother
Favorite Playoff Marquee Event: World Series
Favorite Pro Stadium: Yankee Stadium
Favorite Field He’s Played at (Besides Alexander): Melching Field
Toughest Pitcher for Him to Face Among Teammates: CJ Backer
Current MLB Pitcher He’d Like to Face: Jacob deGrom
Funniest Teammate: Jake Jarvis
Current Teammate with the Best Baseball Instincts: Couper Cornbulm
Purdue Staff Member He Enjoys Strongest Connection With: Casey Kohr
In His Favorite Playlist: The Beatles
Would Love to See Him Play at Purdue: Foreigner
Favorite Multi-Media App: Netflix
Favorite Super-Hero Series: Arrow
Show He Can’t Stop Watching: The Witcher
Favorite Video Game: Call of Duty
Favorite Month: July
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Pick One – Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner: Dinner
Favorite Food: Linguini with White Clam Sauce
Favorite Dessert: Candy
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Hiking
Another Sport He Enjoys Playing: Football
Favorite Purdue Building: Grissom Hall
Favorite Big City: Boston
Unique Travel Locale: Ireland
Country He’d Like to Visit: Ireland
Pick One for a Vacation – Beach or Mountains: Beach
Favorite Costume at the Alexander Halloween Bash: Corbin Malott as a Bag of Cheetos
Favorite Thing About Alexander Field: The grass
Most Memorable Game/Moment at Purdue: Going Undefeated to Start the Season
Top Sports Moment Prior to Purdue: Homer to Tie the Game against Fairfield
Enjoyed this Professor’s Class: Professor Yvonne M. Pitts – American Studies
Furry Friend: Max, Boxer