Erick Almonte clarifies Fenapepro’s position on Wander Franco’s situation
The president of the National Federation of Professional Baseball Players (Fenapepro), Erick Almonte, addressed the speculations pointing to an alleged lack of support for shortstop Wander Franco. In statements made on the radio show Diamante Deportivo, the leader flatly denied that the entity has turned its back on the player and assured that they are maintaining close monitoring of his case.
Almonte emphasized that communication with the player’s entourage has been constant. As he explained, both he and other federation officials have maintained direct contact with the agency representing Franco in the United States, as well as with his close family members to monitor the development of his situation, which he described as an extremely complex and difficult process.
How are we going to turn our backs on him, if I have been talking to his agency, to the people who represent him, for some time?
Erick Almonte, president of Fenapepro
Among the efforts made, it was highlighted that the vice president of Fenapepro, Esteban Germán, has served as a liaison through conversations with Erick Aybar, Franco’s uncle and a former professional player, reinforcing the organization’s interest in staying informed of any developments.
Legal complexity and interest from Venezuela
The president of Fenapepro detailed that there are communication barriers between the player’s agency and official bodies. He pointed out that, as a strategy, Franco’s representation uses the Major League Baseball Players Association as a bridge for contractual issues, although he noted that, during the last few months, there have been no formal approaches recorded with the corresponding authorities nor with the Tampa Bay Rays.
On the other hand, Almonte revealed that after the news that the Leones del Escogido released Franco, he received multiple calls from teams in the Venezuelan winter league interested in the star player’s situation. However, he clarified that this does not imply a concrete agreement, noting that Fenapepro does not have the authority to decide where the player should perform.
Private management and progress in the collective agreement
Almonte defended the discretion with which the federation handles the cases of its members. He cited as an example the efforts recently carried out with figures such as Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, where multiple meetings were held with Lidom under strict confidential management to guarantee the well-being of the athletes.
Finally, the leader reported on the status of the negotiations for the new collective bargaining agreement with Lidom. Although the original deadline expired on August 31, both parties agreed to extend the talks to strengthen the terms of the agreement, a document that has grown significantly in content and protection since the first agreement in 2021.
It is expected that, following the start of in-person meetings last February, the parties will manage to finalize the pending points before the start of the next season, maintaining the commitment to improve conditions for all Dominican baseball players.
