Colt Keith Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

AB	53
AVG	.208
OBP	.276
SLG	.226
HR	0

Full name Colten Keith
Born 08/14/2001 in Zanesville, OH
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 211 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Biloxi
Drafted in the 5th round (132nd overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2020 (signed for $500,000).

View Draft Report

A 6-foot-3, 195-pound infielder, Keith made a name for himself as an underclassman and was named the Gatorade 2018-19 Mississippi Player of the Year after hitting .527 with eight home runs. Keith showed a knack for putting the barrel on the baseball last summer against the top pitchers in the 2020 class and scouts believe he has an impressive array of plus tools. He has plus raw power, is a plus runner and also has plus arm strength. He has gotten on the mound and throws in the low 90s, but he’s definitely a pro prospect as a hitter. A shortstop now, Keith might be forced to move to another position as he fills out his frame and gains strength. Some evaluators think he gets by defensively because of his natural athleticism and wonder if he has the hands for the position. Some scouts believe third base or an outfield position could be better fits, and he has the arm strength to hang at the hot corner or right field. Keith could be an average hitter, with good impact ability now and more on the way. He drives the ball hard to the opposite field and can easily pull the ball out of the park. Keith has an upright stance with some hand movement that prevents him from getting fully extended all the time, but when he does, he can do plenty of damage. His pure tool set fits in the second round or better but what a team thinks of his most likely defensive home and the quality of his hit tool will determine if he gets signed or makes it to campus at Arizona State.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 55/Medium

Track Record: Keith has always hit, regardless of setting. He was the best hitter in Mississippi as a rising high school junior, hitting .527 to win the state’s Gatorade player of the year award. While his senior season was wiped away by the coronavirus pandemic, Keith has proven equally adept with the bat in pro ball. The Tigers drafted him in the fifth and final round of the 2020 draft and signed him for $500,000. After a shoulder injury cut short his 2022 season, Keith hit .344 in the Arizona Fall League. In 2023, he forced a midseason promotion to Triple-A Toledo by hitting most everything at Double-A Erie, and he barely slowed down after the promotion.

Scouting Report: Keith is a pure hitter who gets to plus power without having to sell out for it. He stays in control with a balanced lefthanded swing and above-average bat speed. While his power is primarily to his pull side, he also targets both power alleys. Keith finished third in the minors in 2023 with 68 extra-base hits. He even hits lefthanders well. After working sporadically at second base in 2021, Keith embraced the position after he was promoted to Triple-A Toledo in 2023. Scouts see him as more likely to play second than third base, though he’s fringy defensively at either spot thanks to limited range. Keith turns the double play well at second. Though he has arm strength, he doesn’t have a quick release, which hinders him, especially at third. Keith runs reasonably well underway, but is a fringe-average runner who should slow further as he matures and is not a stolen base threat.

The Future: Keith’s best position is in the batter’s box. The Tigers’ goal is to get his defense to a point where he doesn’t have to slide to first base or DH. It may not matter, because he has the chance to be one of the best hitters the Tigers have produced in the past few decades.

Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Field: 40 | Arm: 50
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: The Tigers drafted Keith in the fifth round in 2020 and signed him for a slightly above-slot $500,000. The pandemic delayed his pro debut until 2021, when he slashed .286/.396/.393 at three levels and reached High-A West Michigan. Keith returned to the Midwest League in 2022 and showed newfound power by slugging .544 in 48 games. His season was cut short after sustaining an injury to his shoulder during a pickoff attempt. After completing a successful rehab, Keith headed to the Arizona Fall League in preparation for the upper levels of the minor leagues in 2023. He ranked fifth in the AFL with a .463 on-base percentage and seventh with a 1.004 OPS.

Scouting Report: Keith was a legitimate two-way prospect in high school as both a shortstop and righthanded pitcher. He showed impressive bat-to-ball skills amid a challenging assignment in 2022. After hitting just two home runs in 2021, Keith showcased a significant increase in his raw power in 2022 and finished with nine home runs despite not playing after June 9. Much of Keith's development hinges on both his health and the continued maturation of his approach, while also tapping into his power more consistently as his frame fills out. Detroit likes Keith's profile at third base--but he has steadily gotten bigger and stronger and is now closer to 230 pounds than his listed 211 pounds. He shows a plus arm while continuing to develop feel for the position. Keith is a fringe-average runner.

The Future: Featuring the upside of an everyday big leaguer, Keith will be battling against 2022 draftee Peyton Graham if he hopes to hold the hot corner. Even if he moves off third base, Keith's natural athleticism and hitting upside should buy him a spot in Detroit's future lineup.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60
Track Record: The Tigers nabbed Keith, the 2019 Mississippi High School Player of the Year, for $500,000 in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. The pandemic delayed his pro debut to 2021, when Keith slashed .286/.396/.393 at three levels, reaching High-A West Michigan by the end of the season.

Scouting Report: Keith was a legitimate two-way prospect in high school at both shortstop and pitcher. He hasn’t pitched so far as a professional—Detroit likes his profile at third base long-term—but it’s easy to see his natural athleticism. He shows a plus arm at third base while continuing to develop feel for the position. He also flashes plus run times, although he’s likely to settle in as an average runner. Offensively, Keith showed impressive bat-to-ball skills amid a challenging assignment. He hit just two homers, but scouts still believe there’s plus raw power in his lefthanded swing. Much of Keith’s development hinges on continued maturation of his approach while also tapping into his power more consistently as his frame fills out.

The Future: Detroit’s crowded pool of infield prospects may ultimately push Keith to an outfield spot, but he has the upside of an everyday big leaguer.
TRACK RECORD: Keith was Mississippi's high school player of the year as a junior in 2019 and stood out as one of the best hitters on the high school showcase circuit the following summer. The Tigers drafted him in the fifth round in 2020 and signed him for $500,000 to forgo an Arizona State commitment. Keith played shortstop and pitched in high school, but the Tigers drafted him as a third baseman and sent him out to the hot corner in instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Keith has an impressive array of tools that include plus raw power, plus arm strength and plus speed. He mostly got by on his natural athleticism in high school and didn't face the strongest competition on a daily basis in Mississippi, but he shows the ability to pull the ball for home runs and drive the ball hard on a line to the opposite field. Keith's natural loft and bat speed should lead to power as his body continues to develop and he adjusts to more advanced pitchers. Keith has advanced glove work and the arm for third base. He could also slide to right field if needed.

THE FUTURE: Keith will face a steep adjustment against professional pitchers. If he shows he can handle it, he has the athleticism and tools to be a breakout prospect in the system.

Draft Prospects

A 6-foot-3, 195-pound infielder, Keith made a name for himself as an underclassman and was named the Gatorade 2018-19 Mississippi Player of the Year after hitting .527 with eight home runs. Keith showed a knack for putting the barrel on the baseball last summer against the top pitchers in the 2020 class and scouts believe he has an impressive array of plus tools. He has plus raw power, is a plus runner and also has plus arm strength. He has gotten on the mound and throws in the low 90s, but he’s definitely a pro prospect as a hitter. A shortstop now, Keith might be forced to move to another position as he fills out his frame and gains strength. Some evaluators think he gets by defensively because of his natural athleticism and wonder if he has the hands for the position. Some scouts believe third base or an outfield position could be better fits, and he has the arm strength to hang at the hot corner or right field. Keith could be an average hitter, with good impact ability now and more on the way. He drives the ball hard to the opposite field and can easily pull the ball out of the park. Keith has an upright stance with some hand movement that prevents him from getting fully extended all the time, but when he does, he can do plenty of damage. His pure tool set fits in the second round or better but what a team thinks of his most likely defensive home and the quality of his hit tool will determine if he gets signed or makes it to campus at Arizona State.

Top 100 Rankings

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: The Tigers drafted Keith in the fifth round in 2020 and signed him for a slightly above-slot $500,000. The pandemic delayed his pro debut until 2021, when he slashed .286/.396/.393 at three levels and reached High-A West Michigan. Keith returned to the Midwest League in 2022 and showed newfound power by slugging .544 in 48 games. His season was cut short after sustaining an injury to his shoulder during a pickoff attempt. After completing a successful rehab, Keith headed to the Arizona Fall League in preparation for the upper levels of the minor leagues in 2023. He ranked fifth in the AFL with a .463 on-base percentage and seventh with a 1.004 OPS.

Scouting Report: Keith was a legitimate two-way prospect in high school as both a shortstop and righthanded pitcher. He showed impressive bat-to-ball skills amid a challenging assignment in 2022. After hitting just two home runs in 2021, Keith showcased a significant increase in his raw power in 2022 and finished with nine home runs despite not playing after June 9. Much of Keith's development hinges on both his health and the continued maturation of his approach, while also tapping into his power more consistently as his frame fills out. Detroit likes Keith's profile at third base--but he has steadily gotten bigger and stronger and is now closer to 230 pounds than his listed 211 pounds. He shows a plus arm while continuing to develop feel for the position. Keith is a fringe-average runner.

The Future: Featuring the upside of an everyday big leaguer, Keith will be battling against 2022 draftee Peyton Graham if he hopes to hold the hot corner. Even if he moves off third base, Keith's natural athleticism and hitting upside should buy him a spot in Detroit's future lineup.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: The Tigers drafted Keith in the fifth round in 2020 and signed him for a slightly above-slot $500,000. The pandemic delayed his pro debut until 2021, when he slashed .286/.396/.393 at three levels and reached High-A West Michigan. Keith returned to the Midwest League in 2022 and showed newfound power by slugging .544 in 48 games. His season was cut short after sustaining an injury to his shoulder during a pickoff attempt. After completing a successful rehab, Keith headed to the Arizona Fall League in preparation for the upper levels of the minor leagues in 2023. He ranked fifth in the AFL with a .463 on-base percentage and seventh with a 1.004 OPS.

Scouting Report: Keith was a legitimate two-way prospect in high school as both a shortstop and righthanded pitcher. He showed impressive bat-to-ball skills amid a challenging assignment in 2022. After hitting just two home runs in 2021, Keith showcased a significant increase in his raw power in 2022 and finished with nine home runs despite not playing after June 9. Much of Keith's development hinges on both his health and the continued maturation of his approach, while also tapping into his power more consistently as his frame fills out. Detroit likes Keith's profile at third base--but he has steadily gotten bigger and stronger and is now closer to 230 pounds than his listed 211 pounds. He shows a plus arm while continuing to develop feel for the position. Keith is a fringe-average runner.

The Future: Featuring the upside of an everyday big leaguer, Keith will be battling against 2022 draftee Peyton Graham if he hopes to hold the hot corner. Even if he moves off third base, Keith's natural athleticism and hitting upside should buy him a spot in Detroit's future lineup.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60
BA Grade: 50/High

May Update: Keith has been one of the Tigers best performers in the early going. He combines solid swing decisions with the power to make an impact when he does connect.

Track Record: The Tigers nabbed Keith, the 2019 Mississippi High School Player of the Year, for $500,000 in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. The pandemic delayed his pro debut to 2021, when Keith slashed .286/.396/.393 at three levels, reaching High-A West Michigan by the end of the season.

Scouting Report: Keith was a legitimate two-way prospect in high school at both shortstop and pitcher. He hasn&#39t pitched so far as a professional—Detroit likes his profile at third base long-term—but it&#39s easy to see his natural athleticism. He shows a plus arm at third base while continuing to develop feel for the position. He also flashes plus run times, although he&#39s likely to settle in as an average runner. Offensively, Keith showed impressive bat-to-ball skills amid a challenging assignment. He hit just two homers, but scouts still believe there&#39s plus raw power in his lefthanded swing. Much of Keith&#39s development hinges on continued maturation of his approach while also tapping into his power more consistently as his frame fills out.

The Future: Detroit&#39s crowded pool of infield prospects may ultimately push Keith to an outfield spot, but he has the upside of an everyday big leaguer.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60
Track Record: The Tigers nabbed Keith, the 2019 Mississippi High School Player of the Year, for $500,000 in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. The pandemic delayed his pro debut to 2021, when Keith slashed .286/.396/.393 at three levels, reaching High-A West Michigan by the end of the season.

Scouting Report: Keith was a legitimate two-way prospect in high school at both shortstop and pitcher. He hasn’t pitched so far as a professional—Detroit likes his profile at third base long-term—but it’s easy to see his natural athleticism. He shows a plus arm at third base while continuing to develop feel for the position. He also flashes plus run times, although he’s likely to settle in as an average runner. Offensively, Keith showed impressive bat-to-ball skills amid a challenging assignment. He hit just two homers, but scouts still believe there’s plus raw power in his lefthanded swing. Much of Keith’s development hinges on continued maturation of his approach while also tapping into his power more consistently as his frame fills out.

The Future: Detroit’s crowded pool of infield prospects may ultimately push Keith to an outfield spot, but he has the upside of an everyday big leaguer.
TRACK RECORD: Keith was Mississippi's high school player of the year as a junior in 2019 and stood out as one of the best hitters on the high school showcase circuit the following summer. The Tigers drafted him in the fifth round in 2020 and signed him for $500,000 to forgo an Arizona State commitment. Keith played shortstop and pitched in high school, but the Tigers drafted him as a third baseman and sent him out to the hot corner in instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Keith has an impressive array of tools that include plus raw power, plus arm strength and plus speed. He mostly got by on his natural athleticism in high school and didn't face the strongest competition on a daily basis in Mississippi, but he shows the ability to pull the ball for home runs and drive the ball hard on a line to the opposite field. Keith's natural loft and bat speed should lead to power as his body continues to develop and he adjusts to more advanced pitchers. Keith has advanced glove work and the arm for third base. He could also slide to right field if needed.

THE FUTURE: Keith will face a steep adjustment against professional pitchers. If he shows he can handle it, he has the athleticism and tools to be a breakout prospect in the system.
TRACK RECORD: Keith was Mississippi's high school player of the year as a junior in 2019 and stood out as one of the best hitters on the high school showcase circuit the following summer. The Tigers drafted him in the fifth round in 2020 and signed him for $500,000 to forgo an Arizona State commitment. Keith played shortstop and pitched in high school, but the Tigers drafted him as a third baseman and sent him out to the hot corner in instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Keith has an impressive array of tools that include plus raw power, plus arm strength and plus speed. He mostly got by on his natural athleticism in high school and didn't face the strongest competition on a daily basis in Mississippi, but he shows the ability to pull the ball for home runs and drive the ball hard on a line to the opposite field. Keith's natural loft and bat speed should lead to power as his body continues to develop and he adjusts to more advanced pitchers. Keith has advanced glove work and the arm for third base. He could also slide to right field if needed.

THE FUTURE: Keith will face a steep adjustment against professional pitchers. If he shows he can handle it, he has the athleticism and tools to be a breakout prospect in the system.
TRACK RECORD: Keith was Mississippi's high school player of the year as a junior in 2019 and stood out as one of the best hitters on the high school showcase circuit the following summer. The Tigers drafted him in the fifth round in 2020 and signed him for $500,000 to forgo an Arizona State commitment. Keith played shortstop and pitched in high school, but the Tigers drafted him as a third baseman and sent him out to the hot corner in instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Keith has an impressive array of tools that include plus raw power, plus arm strength and plus speed. He mostly got by on his natural athleticism in high school and didn't face the strongest competition on a daily basis in Mississippi, but he shows the ability to pull the ball for home runs and drive the ball hard on a line to the opposite field. Keith's natural loft and bat speed should lead to power as his body continues to develop and he adjusts to more advanced pitchers. Keith has advanced glove work and the arm for third base. He could also slide to right field if needed.

THE FUTURE: Keith will face a steep adjustment against professional pitchers. If he shows he can handle it, he has the athleticism and tools to be a breakout prospect in the system.