Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

Shelton began his college career at Alabama and established his power bona fides by hitting 25 home runs and finishing with an OPS north of 1.100 as a freshman. He entered the transfer portal and decided on the University of Florida as his new home for his Draft-eligible sophomore season. He showed up in Gainesville in better shape and got a lot of reps at shortstop this fall to help his Draft stock, though his uneven performance at the plate has limited his helium.

Shelton’s carrying tool remains the power in his left-handed bat. When he showed up last fall with a more flattened out stroke, rather than his previous swing, which was much steeper in the zone, there was hope he might show more barrel consistency. He doesn’t have elite-level bat speed, but there’s at least average power for him to get to, and while the pop has shown up to an extent, the strikeout rate has hovered around the 25 percent he posted at Alabama. He does draw some walks to help offset it a little, but scouts are concerned about his ability to make enough contact to reach his power consistently.

While a slimmed down version arrived in Florida, Shelton displays just average athleticism, though he maximizes every bit of it. The Gators feel he showed enough to play shortstop for them every day, though scouts feel his pushy arm that plays average is a touch short for the premium spot at the next level. He’s played third previously and some feel he’s best suited for second, where he could be an offensive-minded middle infielder with some thump.

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

As a freshman at Alabama, Shelton put his name on the map by smashing 25 homers and finishing with a 1.149 OPS. He transferred from the Crimson Tide to the Gators, and while his Draft-eligible sophomore season was inconsistent, he did hit another 20 home runs and the Nationals took him in Round 20. He headed back to campus and has had a better overall season at the plate, albeit with less thump.

A left-handed hitter, Shelton’s offensive profile was previously all about his power, with a swing that was steep in the zone. With that pop came considerable swing-and-miss, with Shelton producing a 25.6 percent strikeout rate over his first two collegiate seasons (a 12.2 percent walk rate helped offset that some). This year, Shelton’s been much more hitterish with better rhythm. Using a narrower stance with higher hands, he’s become a much better hitter overall, focusing on left-center and picking his spots to pull and elevate, sacrificing power numbers as a result.

Whether Shelton is a power hitter, or a hitter with some power, it’s his bat that will get him drafted and carry him up an organizational ladder. A below-average runner, Shelton is pretty sure-handed but his range and routes to the ball don’t seem well suited for shortstop long term. He might best profile as an offensive-minded second baseman at the next level.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 40

Shelton tied the Southeastern Conference freshman home run record with 25 homers at Alabama in 2023, then transferred to Florida and had two vastly different seasons. He set a Gators shortstop record with 20 homers as Draft-eligible sophomore in 2024, but also batted just .254 with a 26.4 percent strikeout rate and dropped to the Nationals in the 20th round amid signability concerns. Then he hit .377 with an 11.8 percent K rate but just seven homers as a junior before signing with the White Sox as a sixth-rounder.

In his first year-plus in the Minors, Shelton has stood out more with his power than his hitting ability. He has plus raw juice and concentrates on launching balls to his pull side, sometimes to a fault. He's overly aggressive and his left-handed stroke can get too long and uphill, leading to too many empty swings against all types of pitches.

Despite below-average speed, Shelton will look to steal bases when given the opportunity. Though he played shortstop in his two seasons at Florida and has split his time in pro ball between second base, short and third base, his lack of quickness and average arm strength aren't suited for the left side of the infield. He profiles best as an offensive-minded second baseman.

Awards

SAL Player of the Month

Month	Team
04/2026

SAL Player of the Week

Week	Team
04/19/2026

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	05/12/2026	SS Colby Shelton assigned to Birmingham Barons from Winston-Salem Dash.
	03/31/2026	SS Colby Shelton assigned to Winston-Salem Dash from Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
	03/05/2026	SS Colby Shelton assigned to Chicago White Sox Prospects.
	02/22/2026	SS Colby Shelton assigned to Chicago White Sox.
	08/05/2025	3B Anthony DePino, SS Colby Shelton and OF Ely Brown assigned to Kannapolis Cannon Ballers from ACL White Sox.
	08/04/2025	ACL White Sox activated SS Colby Shelton.
	07/23/2025	Chicago White Sox signed SS Colby Shelton.
	07/23/2025	SS Colby Shelton assigned to ACL White Sox.
	06/03/2025	SS Colby Shelton assigned to College Workout.
	03/19/2025	SS Colby Shelton assigned to Florida Gators.
	10/31/2024	3B Colby Shelton assigned to College Workout.
	07/16/2024	3B Colby Shelton assigned to Brewster Whitecaps.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated 3B Colby Shelton.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated 3B Colby Shelton.
	04/02/2024	3B Colby Shelton assigned to Brewster Whitecaps.
	04/02/2024	Brewster Whitecaps activated 3B Colby Shelton.
	04/02/2024	Brewster Whitecaps activated 3B Colby Shelton.
	06/08/2023	SS Colby Shelton assigned to College Workout.
	06/08/2023	College Workout activated 3B Colby Shelton.
	06/01/2022	SS Colby Shelton and assigned to High School Workout.
	09/29/2021	SS Colby Shelton and assigned to West.
	07/13/2021	PG National 3 - Gray activated SS Colby Shelton.