Colton Welker Expected To Be Called Up On Wednesday
Colorado Rockies third baseman Colton Welker is reportedly going to get the call-up to the big leagues on Wednesday. The once Top 100 prospect has seen better days after a suspension cost him 100 games of the season. The 23-year-old hit .258 with an .829 OPS during his brief time in the minors this season. Apparently, the Rockies feel that Welker is ready to make an impact at the MLB level. Honestly, it's a lost season for Colorado, so they might as well see what they have in Welker. Fantasy managers shouldn't bother adding Welker because it's unclear how he'll produce at this level.
Colorado Rockies third base prospect Colton Welker is coming off his 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and played in his first game in Arizona on Monday. There's a good chance the Rockies will bring him up at some point this season. The team's No. 11 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, didn't play at all in 2020 due to COVID-19, but he had a .252/.313/.408 slash line with 10 home runs, 53 RBI and two stolen bases in 98 games for Double-A Hartford back in 2019. The 23-year-old has impressive plate discipline and the ability to hit to all fields, but fantasy managers in redraft leagues can't expect much from Welker if he makes his major league debut in 2021 after he missed the first half of the minor league season this year. In the long term, Welker could be an option at either first or third base.
Colorado Rockies third base prospect Colton Welker received an 80-game suspension from Major League Baseball on Thursday for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. The suspension is effectively immediately. Welker is listed as the Rockies' No. 11 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. It's a significant setback in terms of his development after the minor league seasons were shut down completely due to COVID-19 in 2020. In his last full season of baseball in 2019, the 23-year-old hit .252/.313/.408 with 10 home runs, 53 RBI and 37 runs scored in 98 games (394 plate appearances) with Double-A Hartford. Nolan Arenado is no longer blocking him at the hot corner at the big league level, but Welker essentially will lose two straight seasons of minor league seasoning.
Colorado Rockies third baseman/first baseman Colton Welker, the team's No. 2 prospect and No. 95 overall per MLB Pipeline, didn't remain in big league camp for long, but he stood out in his 18 at-bats by slashing .556/.556/.944 with 10 hits (two homers and a double). With Nolan Arenado signing a long-term extension, Welker will focus on learning first base this year in the minor leagues, where he has a .337 career average. The 21-year-old hit .333/.383/.489 with 13 home runs and 82 RBI in 114 games for High-A Lancaster last year. He's likely a year or two away from a potential big league debut.
