Colorado Rockies 2022 player predictions: Colton Welker

Colton Welker was among nine Colorado Rockies players to make their MLB debut in 2021. He might have made his debut earlier in the year if not for an 80-game suspension for a positive test for PEDs but, nonetheless, he made his debut for the Rockies in September.

He made 40 plate appearances at the MLB level and struggled as he only had an OPS+ of 22. However, entering the 2022 season, depending on whether Trevor Story leaves the Rockies and whether or not the Rockies acquire an infielder, Welker could see some more playing time at the MLB level.

Colton Welker could see some playing time at third base for the Colorado Rockies in 2022

If the Colorado Rockies move Ryan McMahon to shortstop in 2022, Colton Welker could see more time at third base, if the Rockies think he’s ready to be an everyday player.

He played in Triple-A for the first time in 2021 and he only played in 23 games there before he got called up to the majors.

ZiPS projects that he’ll get just over 300 plate appearances with the Rockies with 10 homers, 36 RBI, a .250/.303/.411 slash line, an OPS+ of 79, and an fWAR of 0.3.

Welker has the potential to do much more than that, as Welker was the Rockies #2 prospect entering the 2020 season but with a combination of some good draft picks, the pandemic, and his suspension, Welker has dropped from #2 to #20 on MLB.com’s list of the top Rockies prospects.

But make no mistake about it, it will be a make or break year for Welker. Even if he spends most of the season in Triple-A but he plays well, he’ll get some playing time with the Rockies and, perhaps in 2023, he’ll get some more playing time with the Rockies at the major league level.

However, if Welker does not do well in 2022, he will slide further down on the prospect list and he will have a much harder time getting more playing time in 2023 and beyond.