Colton Welker

Position: 3B
Level: Double-A
Affiliate: Hartford Yard Goats
League: Eastern League
Born: 10/09/1997 (Age: 22)
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 195
B/T: Right / Right
Acquired: 4th Rd., 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft (COL)

Prospect Spotlight

Welker was the Rockies’ fourth-rounder from a Florida high school in 2016. He has moved quickly, reaching Double-A at the age of most college juniors in the draft. He has held his own in the Eastern League, named an all-star after hitting in the middle of Hartford’s lineup throughout the first half.

His best tools are at the plate, with a loose, strong swing that has above-average bat control for its longer and lashing path. That allows Welker to square up different pitch types, able to adjust the barrel to numerous parts of the zone. He doesn’t have the look of a high-strikeout hitter, with reason to project on more power given his large frame and plus batspeed. Defensively, Welker splits time between infield corners and likely projects to do so in the early parts of his career. He has the arm for 3B, but a thickening lower half holds up his lateral range and could make it tough to stay at the hot corner past his physical prime.

Welker’s offensive upside has moved him near the top of Colorado’s farm system. The tools to be an above-average hit/power producer are here, though his iffy defensive value might bump him to the FV 50 tier. He could be a solid big league contributor for a long time.