San Francisco Giants have possible steal with Colton Welker
By David Hill
The San Francisco Giants have been able to poach talent from other organizations by leveraging their 60 day IL to their advantage. It should not be a surprise that they have done so again.
This time, they have used that spot to steal a player from a division rival. According to Maria Guardado of MLB.com, the Giants have claimed minor leaguer Colton Welker off waivers from the Rockies.
San Francisco Giants may have stolen another piece for their future
It did not take long for Welker to prove himself in the Rockies organization. A fourth round selection in the 2016 MLB Draft, he hit the ground running with an .856 OPS with five homers and 15 doubles in 227 plate appearances in Rookie Ball that year. His strong showings continued, culminating with his being selected by MLB.com as the 95th best prospect in the game prior to the 2019 season.
That has been the high point of Welker’s career to this point. He struggled comparatively in Double-A in 2019 and has not spent much time on the diamond since. Between the pandemic, an 80 game suspension for a failed PED test, and his season ending shoulder surgery, Welker has appeared in just 62 games since the end of the 2019 campaign.
Although he did not perform well in his brief 40 plate appearance sample of major league action, there is still plenty to like when it comes to Welker. He still has an above average hit tool and a track record of having an excellent approach in the minors. Although he may never be a 30 homer a year player, he has enough power to be a factor at either corner infield spot.
There are plenty of tools for the Giants to work with. They have been able to turn other previously highly regarded players into viable major league options in the past. It would not be a surprise if they were able to do the same here and develop Welker into a part of their future core.
Next. DeSclafani's disastrous season is over. dark
The San Francisco Giants have turned their 60 day IL into a weapon. Using one of those spots to add Colton Welker continues that philosophy.