Every great team usually has a fiery, emotional on-field leader. For the 2016 Blue Sox, that guy was Franklin Jennings. As the team’s leadoff hitter, he carried himself with the charisma and swagger of a team captain. And he played with the same level of charisma and swagger too. Jennings hit .312 with 17 RBIs and 23 stolen bases en route to being named a PGCBL all-star and earning second team All-PGCBL honors at season’s end. As expected of a team leader, Jennings took his game to the next level in the playoffs as he hit .375 in six total playoff games with four RBIs, including the sacrifice fly that put Utica ahead for good in the deciding Game 3 of the West Division championship series against Elmira. Jennings is now an assistant coach back at his alma mater of Central Connecticut State University, a position he has held since 2019.