Good morning, afternoon or evening depending on when you are reading this or where you are reading this. Welcome back for another chapter of Up-and-Coming Dynasty Players.

This week the spotlight turns to the Great White North and shines on Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Bowden Francis. In case you haven’t been paying attention to the world of baseball lately, Francis is coming off a start in which he carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels.

As an encore on Thursday against Boston, his first start since facing the Angels, Francis took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and finished the night with on runs allowed on one hit and no walks and five strikeouts in seven innings of work.

A Little Background

Francis was first drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 18th round of the 2016 draft out of Chipola College in Marianna, FL. Francis did not sign with the D-Backs and the moved paid off as he was drafted in the seventh round one year later by the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander pitched two full seasons in the Brewers’ system before being traded to the Blue Jays on July 6, 2021, along with Trevor Richards for Rowdy Tellez.

The trade was one that did not send shockwaves through baseball, and it didn’t look for Toronto at the outset as Tellez had a massive season for the Brewers in 2022 when he slugged 35 homers and drove in 85 runs. However, it is a trade that appears to be paying off for Toronto now. Tellez is now in Pittsburgh where he is a having an average season at best. Meanwhile, Francis is establishing himself as a solid major league starter.