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Jeffrey Braden Francoeur (; born January 8, 1984), nicknamed "Frenchy", is an American former
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...
right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the ...
, who played in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
,
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
, Texas Rangers,
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
,
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
,
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
,
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
, and
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
. When his playing days ended, he became a broadcaster; Francoeur is currently the lead television analyst for Atlanta Braves games. A mid-season call-up for the Braves in 2005, he played in slightly fewer than half of his team's games that year and finished the season with impressive enough statistics to finish third in Rookie of the Year voting and a ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' cover story declaring him "The Natural". While he never again had similarly strong statistics, he continued to have a productive career, playing for 11 more seasons as a journeyman outfielder for seven more teams before retiring after a short stint with the Marlins in 2016. Throughout his career, Francoeur was noted for his strong throwing arm in the outfield and his free-swinging tendencies in the batter's box. He won a
Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
in .


Minor league career

Francoeur was selected by the Braves in the first round of the June 2002 MLB draft. A 4-star
defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
committed to Clemson, he chose to forego college to play baseball. After the draft, Francoeur was assigned to the team's advanced Rookie League club in
Danville, Virginia Danville is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States, located in the Southside Virginia region and on the fall line of the Dan River. It was a center of tobacco production and was an area of Confederate activity ...
, where he played 38 games and hit .327 with 8 home runs and 31 RBIs. Francoeur advanced steadily through the Braves minor league system, playing for
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
(Low A) in 2003,
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...
(High A) and Greenville (former AA) in 2004, and
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
(AA) in 2005. Francoeur was a member of the
Rome Braves The Rome Braves are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They are located in Rome, Georgia, and play their home games at AdventHealth Stadium. From 2003 to 2020, the team served ...
inaugural season team which went on to win the 2003
South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
Championship. He led that team in home runs with 14. In 2004, Francoeur was named the top prospect in the Braves organization by ''
Baseball America ''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
''. He was a member of the
Carolina League The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...
regular season and postseason All-Star team. In 2005, he was selected to play in the
All-Star Futures Game The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB) in conjunction with the mid-summer MLB All-Star Game. A team of American League-affiliated prospects competes against a team of National League ...
before getting called up by Atlanta. In March 2014, after he was released by the Cleveland Indians, Francoeur signed with the San Diego Padres and was sent to the
El Paso Chihuahuas The El Paso Chihuahuas are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in El Paso, Texas, and play their home games at Southwest University ...
in Triple A. Francoeur's new teammates played an elaborate month-long prank on him by convincing him that pitcher Jorge Reyes was deaf. Reyes cooperated with the prank, maintaining the appearance of being deaf by not speaking or listening to music. Chihuahuas first baseman/outfielder
Cody Decker Cody Marshall Decker (born January 17, 1987) is an American former professional baseball player who played for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed power hitter, he played first base, third base, left field, and coul ...
made a short film about the prank. Sportswriter
Peter Gammons Peter Gammons (born April 9, 1945) is an American sportswriter Sports journalism is a form of writing that reports on matters pertaining to sporting topics and competitions. Sports journalism started in the early 1800s when it was targeted ...
called Decker "My new favorite person."


Major league career


Atlanta Braves

Francoeur was promoted by Atlanta on July 6, 2005. He was part of a group of rookie players, nicknamed the "Baby Braves", that Atlanta called up from its minor league system during the 2005 season. Francoeur made his MLB debut the following day when he started in right field against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
in the second game of a double header. In the bottom of the eighth inning he hit a 3-run homer to center field, his first Major League hit. Francoeur is famous for his promise at the very beginning of his career: he made the cover of the edition of August 26, 2005 of ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'', who dubbed him "The Natural" after he hit .360 with a 1.067 OPS in his first 37 games. Francoeur finished the season batting .300/.336/.549 in 67 games, with 14 home runs, and 44 RBIs. During his rookie season he garnered a reputation as a free swinging fastball hitter, with his first walk not coming until his 128th plate appearance. On defense, Francoeur became known for having a strong and accurate arm, finishing the season with 13 outfield assists (third overall in MLB) despite playing less than half the season. He finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting while garnering the most second place votes. Francoeur hit .260 with 29 homers and 103 RBIs in his first full season in the majors. He also became just the fourth Brave to play in all 162 games of a season, joining
Félix Millán Félix Bernardo Millán Martínez (born August 21, 1943) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball second baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. He holds one of the best at-bat to str ...
,
Dale Murphy Dale Bryan Murphy (born March 12, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player. During an 18-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) (–), he played as an outfielder, catcher, and first baseman for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphi ...
, and
Andruw Jones Andruw Rudolf Jones (; born April 23, 1977) is a Curaçaoan former baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Atlanta Braves. Jones also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers ...
. Francoeur was ejected for the first time in his career on July 16, 2006. On May 13, 2006, Francoeur hit a walk-off
grand slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...
off Chad Cordero of the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, the first walk-off home run and grand slam of his career. In his second full season in
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, Francoeur batted .293, with 19 homers, and 105 RBIs. Francoeur also displayed talent on the defensive side of the field, leading the league in outfield assists with 19 while earning his first career
Gold Glove The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
. Francoeur played in all 162 games for the second consecutive season. He was ejected for the second time in his career on July 16, 2007, exactly one year to the day of his first ejection. On April 12, 2008, Francoeur went 3 for 5 against the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
including two home runs and a career high seven RBIs. He compiled a streak of 370 consecutive games played before sitting out the second game of a doubleheader, on May 20, 2008. On May 22, 2008, Francoeur went 3 for 4 against the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
with an RBI triple, an RBI single, and a two-run home run, finishing a double short of a cycle. After weeks of being mired in the worst slump of his career, Braves management optioned Francoeur to Double-A Mississippi on July 4, 2008, to work with his old hitting coach
Phillip Wellman Phillip Lane Wellman (born December 5, 1961 in Marlin, Texas), is an American professional baseball coach and manager. He is the current manager of the El Paso Chihuahuas, Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. Well ...
and refine his swing away from the pressurized major league setting. Francoeur had posted a line of .234/.287/.374 to that point of the season. Francoeur was recalled on July 7, 2008, after only three days in the minors because of the rash of injuries suffered by the Braves, over the holiday weekend. His slump continued after his return to the majors; Francoeur posted a .234/.300/.324 line through September 10.


New York Mets

On July 10, 2009, Francoeur was traded to the New York Mets for outfielder
Ryan Church Ryan Matthew Church (born October 14, 1978) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Career Minors Drafte ...
. Francoeur made his Mets debut on July 11, 2009, and notched two RBIs in his first at bat. He finished the day going 2–4 with two RBIs, a strikeout, and was caught stealing once. On July 20, Francoeur hit his first home run as a Met off
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
pitcher
Logan Kensing Logan French Kensing (born July 3, 1982) is a former American professional baseball pitcher. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers ...
, during the ninth inning of that game. On August 23, 2009, Francoeur became the second player in major league history (after
Homer Summa Homer Wayne Summa (November 3, 1898 – January 29, 1966) was an American professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1920 to 1930. He began his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but played most of his care ...
in 1927) to hit into a game-ending
unassisted triple play In baseball, an unassisted triple play occurs when a defensive player makes all three outs by himself in one continuous play, without his teammates making any assists. Neal Ball was the first to achieve this in Major League Baseball (MLB) under ...
. He hit a line drive directly to
Eric Bruntlett Eric Kevin Bruntlett (born March 29, 1978), was an American former professional baseball utility player, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies. Bruntlett is perhaps best remembered for executing ...
, second baseman for the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. Francoeur re-signed with the Mets for
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
. After being the Mets' starting right fielder for the first half of the 2010 season, Francoeur was replaced by
Ángel Pagán Ángel Manuel Pagán (born July 2, 1981) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants. Pagán's original contract in Major League Base ...
to make room for the return of
Carlos Beltrán Carlos Iván Beltrán (; born April 24, 1977) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1998 to 2017 for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Fra ...
in the second half.


Texas Rangers

On August 31, 2010, Francoeur was traded by the Mets to the Texas Rangers for infielder Joaquín Árias. Francoeur was utilized primarily for defensive purposes on the 2010 AL Champions.


Kansas City Royals

On December 8, 2010, Francoeur signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Royals worth $2.5 million which included a mutual option for the 2012 season. On August 18, 2011, Francoeur agreed to a two-year extension with the Royals worth $13.5 million. He was designated for assignment on June 30, 2013 after hitting .208/.249/.322 in 59 games with the Royals.


San Francisco Giants

Francoeur was signed to a minor league contract by the Giants, on July 9, 2013. On July 13, his contract was purchased from the
Fresno Grizzlies The Fresno Grizzlies are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They are located in Fresno, California, and play their home games at Chukchansi Park, which was opened in 2002 in do ...
. Francoeur was designated for assignment on August 20, and released on August 22. In 22 games for the Giants, he recorded 12 hits, 4 RBIs, batting only .194.


Cleveland Indians

Francoeur signed a minor league deal with the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
on January 6, 2014. The organization released Francoeur on March 22, 2014.


San Diego Padres

Francoeur signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres, on March 26, 2014. He was assigned to the Triple-A
El Paso Chihuahuas The El Paso Chihuahuas are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in El Paso, Texas, and play their home games at Southwest University ...
and hit the first home run in team history on April 3, 2014. They considered converting him into a pitcher, and he spent part of his time in the minors pitching. However, they decided to keep him as an outfielder in the end. He was called up and was in the starting lineup on July 23. On August 11, Francoeur was designated for assignment. He cleared waivers and was outrighted back to the Chihuahuas. Francoeur elected free agency in October 2014.


Philadelphia Phillies

On November 13, 2014, Francoeur signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. On June 16, 2015, Francoeur was used as a relief pitcher in a 19–3 loss to the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
, throwing the only scoreless inning of the game. However, he surrendered two runs in the next inning. In July, he began to have success both off the bench and in the starting lineup, including a stretch during which he hit three home runs in eight games. Although he expressed a desire to remain with the Phillies through the 2015 season and perhaps even beyond, his play indicated he might be moved near the trading deadline to bolster a contending team's outfield. However, he was not moved at the trade deadline. Ultimately, he finished the season with a .258 batting average, 13 home runs, and 45 RBIs.


Return to Atlanta

On February 22, 2016, Francoeur agreed to a minor-league deal with the Braves, with an invitation to spring training. On March 29, the Braves purchased Francoeur's contract.


Miami Marlins

Francoeur was traded to the Miami Marlins on August 24, 2016, in a three-team deal that included the Texas Rangers. The Braves got minor league utility player
Dylan Moore Dylan Scott Moore (born August 2, 1992) is an American professional baseball infielder and outfielder for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). Amateur career Moore attended El Dorado High School in Placentia, California. He the ...
from the Rangers and minor league catcher Matt Foley from the Marlins.


Broadcasting

On May 12, 2017, it was announced that Francoeur would become a color analyst for select Atlanta Braves baseball games broadcast on
Fox Sports South Bally Sports South (BSSO) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Bally Sports Networks. The network carries regional coverage of professional and collegiate sports events from across ...
and
Fox Sports Southeast Bally Sports Southeast (BSSE) (originally named SportSouth from its inception until October 4, 2015, and Fox Sports Southeast (FSSE) until March 31, 2021) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture betw ...
. On November 29, 2018, the Braves announced that Jeff Francoeur would replace Joe Simpson as their lead television analyst. In September 2019, it was announced that he had been hired by TBS to work as an analyst for the network's NL Wild Card Game,
NLDS In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
(
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
vs.
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
alongside Ernie Johnson Jr.) and
National League Championship Series The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
(NLCS) alongside Brian Anderson and
Ron Darling Ronald Maurice Darling Jr. (born August 19, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player and current television sports color commentator. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handed pitcher from to , most notably as a m ...
. He repeated this role in 2020 for American League playoff games, as TBS had the AL contract that year.


International career

Along with former Braves teammate
Chipper Jones Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones Jr. (born April 24, 1972) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves from 1993 to 2012. The Braves chose Jones with the first overall p ...
, Francoeur played on the USA team in the first ever
World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Leagu ...
, in March 2006. In six
at bats In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
, he hit a
double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...
, and scored one
run Run(s) or RUN may refer to: Places * Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia * Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant People * Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...
.


Personal life

Francoeur comes from a family of teachers. His parents, David and Karen, are both retired teachers. Francoeur's father, who is of French-Canadian heritage, is from
Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
; his mother is from
Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The county seat of Brown County, it is at the head of Green Bay (known locally as "the bay of Green Bay"), a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It is above sea lev ...
. His sister Heather (Francoeur) Karvis used to teach English and co-coached the girls' basketball team at St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta with Josh Geffner. She now teaches and coaches the varsity girls basketball team at
The Westminster Schools The Westminster Schools is a Kindergarten –12 private school in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, founded in 1951. History Westminster originated in 1951 as a reorganization of Atlanta's North Avenue Presbyterian School (NAPS), a girls' school a ...
in Atlanta. His brother David Francoeur, Jr. teaches special education at Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia. In 2007, on
SportSouth Bally Sports Southeast (BSSE) (originally named SportSouth from its inception until October 4, 2015, and Fox Sports Southeast (FSSE) until March 31, 2021) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture be ...
the "Big Braves Summer" promos, Francoeur revealed that his profession of choice (were he not a baseball player) would be coaching high school
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
. He graduated from Parkview High School in
Lilburn, Georgia Lilburn is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. The population was 14,502 at the 2020 census. The estimated population was 12,810 in 2019. It is a part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Geography Lilburn is located in western Gw ...
in 2002. He lettered in both baseball and football. He led Parkview to the Georgia AAAAA high school football championships in 2000 and 2001 as a wide receiver and defensive back. Francoeur was offered a scholarship to play wide receiver at
Clemson University Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enro ...
, before turning that down and getting drafted in the first round. He also led Parkview to two state titles in baseball, in 2001 and 2002. While in third grade, he met his future wife, Catie McCoy. They started dating as seniors in high school, and married on November 3, 2007. Francoeur lived with teammate Brian McCann in
Lawrenceville, Georgia Lawrenceville is a city in and the county seat of Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is a suburb of Atlanta, located approximately northeast of downtown. As of the 2020 census, the population of Lawrenceville was 30,629. In 2019, the ...
for their first two years in the majors, and he had his own fan club at
Turner Field Turner Field was a baseball stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1997 to 2016, it served as the home ballpark to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 to serve as the c ...
called "Francoeur's Franks." In 2007, Francoeur participated in a fundraiser for the Atlanta-based charity with his friend Carl Schuster
Dream House for Medically Fragile Children Dream House For Medically Fragile Children was a Georgia-based organization dedicated to providing financial support and homes to children with severe health issues. It is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit. The organization was found ...
in which
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
donated the value of 25,000
SkyMiles SkyMiles is the frequent-flyer program of Delta Air Lines that offers points (or "miles") to passengers traveling on most fare types, as well as to consumers who utilize Delta co-branded credit cards, which accumulate towards free awards such as ai ...
(frequent flyer miles) for each home run hit by Francoeur during the season. Francoeur is a vocal and outspoken
born-again Christian Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sepa ...
. On the strap of his left batting glove, Francoeur has the phrase "" written, referencing the
Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
verse.


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Francoeur, Jeff 1984 births Living people 2006 World Baseball Classic players American people of French-Canadian descent Atlanta Braves announcers Atlanta Braves players Baseball players from Atlanta Christians from Georgia (U.S. state) Danville Braves players El Paso Chihuahuas players Fresno Grizzlies players Gold Glove Award winners Grand Canyon Rafters players Greenville Braves players Kansas City Royals players Major League Baseball broadcasters Major League Baseball right fielders Miami Marlins players Mississippi Braves players Myrtle Beach Pelicans players New York Mets players Philadelphia Phillies players Rome Braves players San Diego Padres players San Francisco Giants players Texas Rangers players World Baseball Classic players of the United States