Jeff Francis

Jeffrey William Francis (born January 8, 1981, in North Delta, British Columbia) is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball. Francis attended Burnsview Junior Secondary School and North Delta Senior Secondary School in North Delta, British Columbia. After playing for the North Delta Blue Jays of the B.C. Premier Baseball League, the highest calibre junior league in Canada, Francis went on to pursue a major in physics at the University of British Columbia while playing for the UBC Thunderbirds. He was selected in the 1st round (9th pick overall) by the Colorado Rockies in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. Along with Adam Loewen, who was selected at fourth overall in the same draft, the two received much publicity as they were drafted higher than any other Canadian baseball players up to that time. Francis was signed by Greg Hopkins. In 2004, Francis was named Minor League Player of the Year by both Baseball America and USA Today,...