{{Short description|American professional baseball player (born 2001)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name = Colton Ledbetter |image = Colton Ledbetter (55296161086).jpg |caption = Ledbetter with the Memphis Redbirds in 2026 |team = St. Louis Cardinals |number = |position = Outfielder |birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|11|15}} |birth_place = Hoover, Alabama, U.S. |bats = Left |throws = Right |debutleague = |debutdate = |debuSamear = |debutteam = |statleague = |staSamear = |stat1label = |stat1value = |stat2label = |stat2value = |stat3label = |stat3value = |teams = |highlights = }} '''Colton Aaron Ledbetter''' (born November 15, 2001) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
==Amateur career== Ledbetter attended Spain Park High School in Hoover, Alabama, where he played baseball.<ref name="otmj">{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name="www">{{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}}</ref><ref name="shelbycountyreporter">{{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}}</ref> During a shortened senior season in 2020, he batted .414 with four home runs, 14 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases.<ref name="hooversun">{{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}}</ref><ref name="www2">{{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}}</ref> 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, Ledbetter 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.<ref name="pointstreak">{{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}}</ref><ref name="yahoo">{{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}}</ref> For Samford in 2022, he started 57 games and hit .318 with 16 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases.<ref name="247sports">{{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}}</ref><ref name="cbssports">{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name="www3">{{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}}</ref><ref name="starkvilledailynews">{{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}}</ref> After the season, he transferred to Mississippi State University.<ref name="starkvilledailynews2">{{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}}</ref><ref name="shelbycountyreporter2">{{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}}</ref><ref name="cdispatch">{{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}}</ref><ref name="247sports2">{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>
==Professional career== ===Tampa Bay Rays=== The Tampa Bay Rays selected Ledbetter in the second round, with the 55th overall pick, in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> On July 21, 2023, he signed with the Rays for an under-slot bonus of $1,297,500.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
Ledbetter made his professional debut with the Florida Complex League Rays and was quickly promoted to the Charleston RiverDogs.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> Over 21 games for the season, he hit .274 with two home runs and 12 RBI.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> Ledbetter was assigned to the Bowling Green Hot Rods for the 2024 season, batting .273 with 16 home runs, 65 RBI, and 34 stolen bases over 109 games.<ref>https://hooversun.com/sports/major-league-dream-spain-parks-colton-ledbetter-on-the-rise/</ref> He was assigned to the Montgomery Biscuits for the 2025 season.<ref>https://www.milb.com/montgomery/news/ledbetter-s-walk-off-lifts-biscuits-to-win-in-series-finale-against-trash-pandas</ref> Over 123 games, Ledbetter hit .265 with seven home runs, 49 RBI, and 37 stolen bases.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Colton Ledbetter Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.milb.com/player/colton-ledbetter-807742 |access-date=2026-01-19 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref>
===St. Louis Cardinals=== On February 2, 2026, the Rays traded Ledbetter to the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-team trade in which the Cardinals also received Tai Peete, Jurrangelo Cijntje, and two Competitive Balance Round B picks in the 2026 MLB draft, the Rays acquired Ben Williamson, and the Seattle Mariners received Brendan Donovan.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kramer|first=Daniel|title=Brendan Donovan traded to Mariners from Cardinals|website=MLB.com|date=February 3, 2026|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/brendan-donovan-mariners-trade|access-date=February 3, 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://hailstate.com/sports/baseball/roster/colton-ledbetter/9942 Mississippi State Bulldogs bio] {{baseballstats|brm=ledbet001col}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledbetter, Colton}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Hoover, Alabama Category:Baseball players from Alabama Category:Baseball outfielders Category:Samford Bulldogs baseball players Category:Georgia Southern Eagles baseball players Category:Memphis Redbirds players Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:Bowling Green Hot Rods players Category:Charleston RiverDogs players Category:Florida Complex League Rays players Category:Montgomery Biscuits players Category:Newport Gulls players