The Chicago White Sox selected Florida Gators shortstop Colby Shelton with the 166th pick in the sixth round of the 2025 MLB draft.

Much of Shelton’s career has been about proving himself. After hitting 25 home runs during his breakout freshman year with the Crimson Tide, Shelton was told he couldn’t play shortstop and had to stay at third base. So, he transferred to an SEC school that would let him play the most important infield position without contest. Shelton immediately stood tall in the shadow of Josh Rivera, a third-round pick in the 2023 draft. His glove played at shortstop, and the homers kept coming, albeit at a slightly slower rate.

Still, Shelton was told he hadn’t proved himself enough to warrant an acceptable offer in the draft. Too many strikeouts, worsening discipline and an overall regression at the plate while focusing on defense were the immediate knocks that kept Shelton out of the first 10 rounds a year ago. The Washington Nationals made a 20th-round hail mary bid for Shelton, but front offices weren’t offering him what he thought he deserved.

Back to Florida, then.

Shelton came into his junior season on a mission. Lead the team offensively, but not with a brutish power swing. Instead, Shelton became a college pitcher’s worst nightmare. Anything inside the zone, he was squaring up. Anything outside was simply one pitch closer to a walk. His slash line shot up from .254/.374/.551 to .377/.458/.606, even though he wasn’t hitting anywhere near the 20-homer pace he’d grown used to in college.

He also cut his strikeout rate in half — 26.4% to 11.8% — while walking nearly as often (10.8%). Now possessing plus tools in hitting, power and eye, Shelton became a draft riser. A hamate injury stopped that momentum dead in its tracks. Florida finished the season without its best hitter and starting shortstop, and Shelton watched on the dream of a third-straight Omaha run died.

Now it’s on to bigger and better things, but Shelton’s contributions at Florida won’t be forgotten. He’s one of the better all-around shortstops Florida has seen and is the eighth-highest drafted player from the university at his position. Only Richie Martin (Round 1, Pick 20, 2015), Brady McConnell (Round 2, Pick 44, 2019) and Rivera were drafted higher among Florida shortstops over the past decade.

Kevin O’Sullivan has known Shelton was leaving for almost a year now, so a succession plan at shortstop is likely already formulated. Columbia transfer Sam Miller has already been brought in to compete for the starting role. Behind him are a couple of freshmen, and there’s always Brendan Lawson, who was the top-ranked Canadian shortstop as a prep player.

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