Colby Shelton played at Bloomingdale High School in Hillsborough County prior to signing with Alabama. (Photo: Katalina Enriquez/UAA Communications)
Shelton Adds Powerful Swing, Winning Attitude to Gators
Thursday, November 23, 2023 | Baseball
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By: Carter Todd, FloridaGators.com Student Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Gators have an impact transfer with proven bat heading into 2024.
Sophomore Colby Shelton had a phenomenal freshman season in 2022. Shelton was an All-American freshman at the University of Alabama, hitting 25 home runs and tying the Southeastern Conference freshman single-season home run record.
However, Shelton transferred after his breakout rookie season after Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon was fired.
"There was a whole new coaching staff at Alabama,'' Shelton said recently. "I came here so that I could better my skill set."
Shelton seeks to make an immediate impact this season as he moves from third base to shortstop with the Gators. Shelton hit .300 with 61 hits and 51 RBIs in his lone season with the Crimson Tide.
"Coming off of a year like last year, the biggest thing I want to improve this season is my defense," he said.
A native of Lithia, Fla., Shelton played at Bloomingdale High School, two hours from Gainesville. A highly touted prospect, Shelton was offered his first Division I scholarship as an eighth-grader from the University of Clemson.
"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with a kid like that," said Drake Harman.
Harman, a fellow 2021 prep grad, played with Shelton for four years at Bloomingdale and the Ostingers Baseball Academy. An outfielder at Santa Fe College and a University of Tampa commit, Harman said he felt Shelton pushed him every day.
"He'd always help you develop as a player," Harman said. "He pushed us to be better every day and helped change our culture."
Drake's brother, Dawson Harman, is a freshman third baseman at High Point (N.C.) University. For him, playing next to Colby in the infield showed him an example of a great work ethic.
"He was always locked in. He was either on the field or in the gym 24/7,'' Dawson said. "He taught me to never be satisfied with my work." Gators infielder Colby Shelton, a transfer from Alabama. (Photo: Ashley Ray/UAA Communications)
Shelton made his Gators debut during the fall season and aims to keep his bat red-hot as he builds off his freshman campaign. However, for those familiar with his game, his stellar year in 2022 continued what they have seen for years.
"From some of the balls I saw him hit in high school, last season didn't really surprise me,'' said Chase Chappell. "It's not fun pitching to him."
Chappell is a starting pitcher at Santa Fe. He also played at Bloomingdale and Ostingers with Shelton.
"There's a good chance Colby Shelton will be a household name after this season," said Chappell.
Shelton joined a Florida program that made it to the College World Series a season ago. He shares a roster and a team with several familiar faces.
Shelton played for Ostingers Academy in travel baseball with fellow Gators transfer Brody Donay. Donay is a Lakeland native who played catcher at Virginia Tech last season.
The University of Florida appealed to him for multiple reasons, one being the postseason success of the Gators.
"Florida is a big-time school. With all of the guys that we have here and all of the postseason accolades of the team, this seemed like the best spot to be," Shelton said.
The abundance of talent on the UF pitching staff has also helped Shelton's hitting.
"Hitting is a hard thing,'' Shelton said. "We have a lot of good arms here, so it definitely helps improve your game to battle it out with them at practice."
A talented roster is essential in the SEC, which currently has seven teams in the top 10 of various preseason polls. Having prior experience in the conference, Shelton is already battle-tested to the attrition of an SEC schedule.
"Many people say the SEC is the best conference. The competition is deep, and you have to earn every win. It's hard to win in this league," he said.
With Shelton and fellow transfer Donay coming in from Virginia Tech, the Gators look to build on their postseason run from last year. However, simply appearing in Omaha isn't the team's primary goal. After coming within one win of a national title, the Gators have their sights set on adding a second national title to the Gator legacy.
Shelton believes that a positive team environment is one of the crucial factors in building a winning culture.
"I like the culture here. Everyone gets along on the team and holds each other accountable. If everyone comes together as one, good things can happen," he said.
Shelton attributes part of his ability to hit homers to his strength. Standing at 6-foot, 200 pounds, he has a solid frame, which helps him be a threat at the plate. Working with Gator strength and conditioning coach Sean Burke will undoubtedly help improve his strength.
"I feel like I'm a pretty strong guy. Coach Burke gives us a lot of freedom in the weight room, and we get to compete against each other," Shelton said.
In 2023, the Gators led the nation in home runs, with first baseman Jac Caglianone leading the country with 33. Adding a player with the caliber of Shelton is making a national title contender even more dangerous.
"The Gators had a great season last year,'' Shelton said. "This year, the goal is to win a natty."
