Colton Ledbetter
{{Short description|American professional baseball player (born 2001)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Colton Ledbetter
|image =
|team = Tampa Bay Rays
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|position = Outfielder
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|11|15}}
|birth_place = Hoover, Alabama, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Right
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Colton Aaron Ledbetter (born November 15, 2001) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
Amateur career
Ledbetter attended Spain Park High School in Hoover, Alabama, where he played baseball.{{cite web|url=https://www.otmj.com/colton-ledbetter-spain-park/|website=otmj.com|title=www.otmj.com/colton-ledbetter-spain-park/|date=May 27, 2020 |access-date=April 28, 2023}} As a junior in 2019, he was named to the All-State team after hitting .388 with seven home runs, 33 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases over 34 games.{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/sports/g66l-2019/06/338acac8fe9562/meet-the-2019-allbirmingham-baseball-team.html|title=Meet the 2019 All-Birmingham Baseball Team|website=al.com|date=June 10, 2019 |access-date=April 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2019/06/08/all-state-baseball-team-features-12-county-players-one-coach-of-the-year/|title=All-State baseball team features 12 county players, one Coach of the Year - Shelby County Reporter|website=Shelby County Reporter|date=June 9, 2019 |access-date=April 28, 2023}} During a shortened senior season in 2020, he batted .414 with four home runs, 14 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases.{{cite web|url=https://hooversun.com/sports/ashford-ledbetter-among-those-on-all-south-metro-team/|title=Ashford, Ledbetter among those on All-South Metro team|website=HooverSun.com|date=June 8, 2020 |access-date=April 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/highschoolsports/2020/05/meet-the-2020-alcom-all-birmingham-baseball-terrific-20.html|title=Meet the 2020 AL.com All-Birmingham Baseball 'Terrific 20'|website=al.com|access-date=April 28, 2023}} He went undrafted in the shortened 2020 Major League Baseball draft, and enrolled at Samford University to play college baseball.
As a freshman at Samford in 2021, he played in 31 games and hit .271 with eight doubles and five RBIs. That summer, he played in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League for the Lima Locos with whom he batted .415 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs.{{cite web|url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=1523917&seasonid=33165|title=Colton Ledbetter - Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League - player {{pipe}} Pointstreak Sports Technologies|website=pointstreak.com|access-date=April 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/video/locos-roll-now-won-13-143100488.html|website=yahoo.com|title=Locos roll on, now have won 13 of last 15 games|date=July 19, 2021 |access-date=April 28, 2023}} For Samford in 2022, he started 57 games and hit .318 with 16 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases.{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/mississippi-state/Article/Colton-Ledbetter-Slate-Alford-Mississippi-State-baseball-NEBL--191284460/|website=247sports.com|title=Monster summer production leads to accolades for Colton Ledbetter, Slate Alford|access-date=April 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2023-mlb-draft-five-college-athletes-who-could-play-their-way-up-the-board-this-spring/|title=2023 MLB draft: Five college athletes who could play their way up the board this spring|website=CBSSports.com|date=February 16, 2023 |access-date=April 28, 2023}} He played for the Newport Gulls of the New England Collegiate Baseball League over the summer, hitting .365 with 11 home runs, 47 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases.{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/college/mississippistate/baseball/colton-ledbetter-and-slate-alford-shine-for-newport-gulls-in-new-england-collegiate-baseball-league|newspaper=Sports Illustrated Mississippi State Football, Basketball, Recruiting, and More|title=www.si.com/college/mississippistate/baseball/colton-ledbetter-and-slate-alford-shine-for-newport-gulls-in-new-england-collegiate-baseball-league|access-date=April 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.starkvilledailynews.com/sports/msus-ledbetter-alford-navigate-summer-baseball-well/article_3e1074d2-19e9-11ed-9faa-2b23bb6f7df3.html|title=MSU's Ledbetter, Alford navigate summer baseball well {{pipe}} Sports|website=starkvilledailynews.com|date=August 11, 2022 |access-date=April 28, 2023}} After the season, he transferred to Mississippi State University.{{cite web|url=https://www.starkvilledailynews.com/sports/ledbetter-announces-transfer-to-msu-baseball-program/article_44398c0c-e75f-11ec-a5b2-0373a7f41b13.html|title=Ledbetter announces transfer to MSU baseball program {{pipe}} Sports|website=starkvilledailynews.com|date=June 8, 2022 |access-date=April 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2022/06/15/former-spain-park-star-transferring-to-mississippi-state-from-samford-after-special-season/|title=Former Spain Park star transferring to Mississippi State from Samford after special season - Shelby County Reporter|website=Shelby County Reporter|date=June 15, 2022 |access-date=April 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://cdispatch.com/sports/2022-06-08/samford-outfielder-colton-ledbetter-transfers-to-mississippi-state-baseball/|title=Samford outfielder Colton Ledbetter transfers to Mississippi State baseball|website=The Dispatch|date=June 8, 2022 |access-date=April 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/mississippi-state/Article/Mississippi-State-baseball-Samford-Colton-Ledbetter-transfer--188509683/|website=247sports.com|title=247sports.com/college/mississippi-state/Article/Mississippi-State-baseball-Samford-Colton-Ledbetter-transfer--188509683/|access-date=April 28, 2023}} For the 2023 season with Mississippi State, he played in 53 games and hit .320 with 12 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases.{{cite web | url=https://www.djournal.com/sports/college/mississippi-state/stop-in-starkville-the-latest-for-colton-ledbetter-on-his-road-to-the-big-leagues/article_25405f76-fc06-11ed-a0e3-bba3fd0a2180.html | title=Stop in Starkville the latest for Colton Ledbetter on his road to the big leagues | date=May 27, 2023 }}
Professional career
Ledbetter was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the second round with the 55th overall pick in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2023/07/09/colton-ledbetter-mississippi-state-baseball-mlb-draft-2023-tampa-bay-rays/70366494007/ | title=Mississippi State baseball OF Colton Ledbetter selected by Tampa Bay Rays in 2023 MLB Draft }} On July 21, 2023, he signed with the Rays for an under-slot bonus of $1,297,500.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rays-2023-draft-signings-tracker|title=Rays sign first-round selection Taylor, more|website=MLB.com|date=July 21, 2023|access-date=July 22, 2023}}
Ledbetter made his professional debut with the Florida Complex League Rays and was quickly promoted to the Charleston RiverDogs.{{cite web | url=https://www.otmj.com/dream-opportunity-former-spain-park-outfielder-ledbetter-embarks-on-pro-career-with-tampa-bay-rays/ | title=Dream Opportunity: Former Spain Park Outfielder Ledbetter Embarks on Pro Career with Tampa Bay Rays | date=July 26, 2023 }} Over 21 games for the season, he hit .274 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.{{cite web | url=https://247sports.com/college/mississippi-state/longformarticle/former-mississippi-state-baseball-players-minor-league-stats-216625811/#2249149 | title=Diamond Dawgs in the Minor League: Season Wrap up }} Ledbetter was assigned to the Bowling Green Hot Rods for the 2024 season, batting .273 with 16 home runs, 65 RBIs, and 34 stolen bases over 109 games.https://hooversun.com/sports/major-league-dream-spain-parks-colton-ledbetter-on-the-rise/ He was assigned to the Montgomery Biscuits to open the 2025 season.https://www.milb.com/montgomery/news/ledbetter-s-walk-off-lifts-biscuits-to-win-in-series-finale-against-trash-pandas
References
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External links
- [https://hailstate.com/sports/baseball/roster/colton-ledbetter/9942 Mississippi State Bulldogs bio]
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Category:Sportspeople from Hoover, Alabama
Category:Baseball players from Alabama
Category:Samford Bulldogs baseball players