Wander Franco’s legal team in the Dominican Republic is now seeking to overturn his conviction in the sexual abuse case that has derailed his baseball career and left his MLB future uncertain. The Tampa Bay Rays shortstop was found guilty in June 2025 of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl and received a two-year suspended sentence from a three-judge panel. Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison term, but Franco avoided jail time under the condition that he complies with court supervision. He has maintained his innocence since the case surfaced in August 2023.
Franco’s attorney, Teodosio Jáquez, has stated that the defense plans to file for exoneration, a legal motion in Dominican courts that challenges both the conviction and the process that led to it. Some outlets have described the maneuver as a petition for annulment, but in legal terms it is closer to an appeal that seeks to vacate the conviction entirely. Franco’s legal team argues that his trial was compromised by procedural errors and what they call insufficient evidence. During the proceedings, several witnesses initially expected to testify did not appear, a point the defense continues to emphasize as grounds for dismissal.
Officials in the Dominican judiciary have not yet announced a timeline for reviewing Franco’s request, and it is unclear how long the legal process could take. If a court agrees to review the case and ultimately overturns the conviction, Franco’s criminal record in the Dominican Republic could be cleared. However, even a legal victory would not automatically restore his professional baseball career.
Franco remains on Major League Baseball’s Restricted List, where he has been since August 2023. Players on the list are barred from competing, do not receive salary, and do not accrue service time. MLB has stated in similar past cases that its disciplinary decisions operate independently of legal outcomes, meaning even if Franco’s conviction is vacated, he would still be subject to MLB investigation and potential suspension under the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
There are also immigration implications. Any effort for Franco to return to MLB would require U.S. visa approval, a process that could be complicated by the current conviction and the nature of the allegations. Public perception would also be a major factor, as any MLB team considering signing him would face intense scrutiny.
The Rays have not commented publicly beyond acknowledging Franco’s restricted status, and no MLB front office executive has suggested there is currently a path back to the field for him. Realistically, a return would likely require Franco to be fully exonerated in the Dominican Republic and then cleared by MLB investigators. Without both outcomes, his career remains indefinitely frozen.
For now, Wander Franco’s future in baseball hinges on the success of his legal strategy. His attorneys insist they will prove his innocence and are optimistic about the coming appeal. But until Dominican courts act, his case remains one of the most complex and uncertain off-field legal sagas in recent MLB history.