Colton Welker (born October 9, 1997) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). Welker was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB draft. He made his major league debut in 2021 with the Rockies.
| Colton Welker | |
|---|---|
| San Francisco Giants | |
| Third baseman | |
| Born: (1997-10-09) October 9, 1997 (age 25) Coral Springs, Florida | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 8, 2021, for the Colorado Rockies | |
| MLB statistics (through 2021 season) | |
| Batting average | .189 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 2 |
| Teams | |
| |
Welker was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB draft out of Stoneman Douglas High School (where he played shortstop and batted over .500 as a senior) in Parkland, Florida.[1][2][3] He signed with Colorado for $855,000, foregoing his commitment to the University of Miami.[4][5]
Welker spent the 2016 season playing third base with the rookie league Grand Junction Rockies, where he was named both a Pioneer League mid-season All-Star and a Rockies organizational All-Star at the end of the season after batting .329/.366/.491 with five home runs and 36 runs batted in during 51 games.[6] He spent 2017 with the Class A Asheville Tourists where batted .350 (second in the South Atlantic League)/.401(3rd)/.500(9th) with six home runs, 33 runs batted ins, and leading the league with three intentional walks in only 67 games due to injury.[6][7]
In 2018, he played with the Class A+ Lancaster JetHawks where he slashed .333 (third in the league)/.383/.489 with 74 runs (7th in the league), 32 doubles (8th), 13 home runs, 82 runs batted in (4th), and two intentional walks (2nd), while grounding into 14 double plays (5th) and leading the league with 11 sacrifice flies in 114 games.[8] He was named a California League mid-season All-Star[9] along with earning a post-season All-Star selection.[10]
Welker spent 2019 with the Class AA Hartford Yard Goats,[11] hitting .252/.313/.408 with 10 home runs, 53 runs batted in, and 6 sacrifice flies (2nd in the Eastern League over 98 games.[12] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 since the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On November 20, 2020, Welker was added to the 40-man roster.[13] On May 6, 2021, Welker was suspended 80 games after testing positive for chlorodehydromethyltestosterone.[14] Playing for three minor league teams in 2021 he batted .258/.345/.483 in 120 at bats.[6]
On September 8, 2021, Welker made his major league debut against the San Francisco Giants, flying out in his only at bat.[15] He batted .189 for Rockies for the season in 37 at bats.[6]
In 2022, he began the season playing for the Class AAA Albuquerque Isotopes, batting .324/.422/.514 in 37 at bats.[6] He was designated for assignment on July 6, 2022. In his career he had played primarily third base (299 games), with 54 games at first base.[6]
Welker was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants on July 8, 2022.