Wander Franco is attempting to return to professional baseball, with aspirations to play for the Dominican Republic in the upcoming Central American and Caribbean Games. However, his eligibility remains uncertain.
Franco, who was found guilty in May of sexually abusing a minor in a second trial, is reportedly making a push to join the Dominican Republic's roster for the games, which are scheduled to begin later this month. Despite these efforts, his participation appears unlikely, according to reports.
Franco has not played in an MLB game since August 12, 2023. He was notably left off the Dominican Republic's "long list" of candidates for its team, a step that would typically render him ineligible to play. The Dominican Baseball Federation (FEDOM) has stated it is actively working to clear Franco for participation.
"We, as the Dominican Baseball Federation, have been handling the procedures with the Dominican Olympic Committee in order to allow us to register Wander through the platform so that he can play with us," FEDOM said in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times. "We are hopeful and very confident that we will receive a positive response."
Conversely, Garibaldy Bautista, president of the Dominican Olympic Committee, has insisted that Franco is currently ineligible for the tournaments. "Simply put, he is not on the long list and cannot be registered on the Dominican team to participate in the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games," Bautista stated, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Franco, 25, was found guilty of the sexual and psychological exploitation of a minor. He received no jail time, while the victim’s mother was sentenced to 10 years for allegedly profiting from payments made by Franco to consent to his relationship with the minor.
Currently on MLB's restricted list, Franco has been unable to play in either the major or minor leagues since August 2023. This restriction also extends to the Dominican Winter League, which has agreements with MLB.
Franco expressed a desire to return to the game after his trial, stating, "To my fans, keep supporting me, trust in God and with the faith in God, I’ll soon be back." He also reflected on his experience, adding, "In this process, I learned to never give up and to value family. Value your family because they will always be there. I’ve always kept training thanks to my dad."