Colton Welker, considered the No. 2 prospect in the Rockies’ organization, will begin the 2019 season in Hartford with the Yard Goats, headlining the roster released Monday.
Welker, 21, a third baseman from Coral Springs, Fla., was a fourth-round pick in the 2016 MLB draft. He went 10-for-19 with two homers in a brief appearance in major league spring training. He has a .337 batting average and .383 on-base percentage in 232 minor league games, winning the California League batting title in 2018 with a .333 average for Lancaster, along with 13 homers and 82 RBI.
Welker played his high school ball for Stoneman-Douglas in Parkland, Fla., graduating two years before the mass shooting than took 17 lives in 2018.
The Yard Goats open their Eastern League season Thursday in Richmond, Va., and begin their third season at Dunkin’ Donuts Park on April 11 vs. New Hampshire.
The Yard Goats roster has seven of Colorado’s top 30 prospects, as ranked by Baseball America. No. 7 prospect Tyler Nevin, the son of former major league player and current Yankees coach Phil Nevin, will also play in the infield in Hartford. Nevin, who plays first and third base, hit .328 at Lancaster, and also played in the Arizona Fall League and in big league camp.
Ben Bowden, Reid Humphreys and Rico Garcia are top pitching prospects assigned to Double A Hartford. Outfielder Vince Fernandez and second baseman Bret Boswell are also in that top-30 group.
The whole of manager Warren Schaeffer’s roster includes 11 players who played for the Goats in 2018:
Catchers Chris Rabago and Brian Serven; outfielders Willie Abreu, Manny Melendez and Fernandez; infielders Scott Burcham, Mylz Jones, Ryan Metzler, Alan Trejo, Nevin and Welker; and pitchers Bowden, Humphreys, Garcia, Ty Culbreth, Logan Cozart, Philip Diehl, Jordan Foley, Rayan Gonzalez, Brandon Gold, Alexander Guillen, Heath Holder, David Holman, and Jack Wynkoop.
Dom Amore can be reached at damore@courant.com.
