Ex-MLB IF Christian Colon accepts minor league coaching position with Royals

Former big leaguer Christian Colón has accepted a coaching position within the Royals’ organization, MLBTR has learned. The recently retired infielder is expected to open the season on staff with the club’s Double-A affiliate in Northwest Arkansas.

Colón appeared in parts of six MLB seasons over a 12-year professional career. He’s best known for his playing days in Kansas City. Selected by the Royals with the fourth-overall pick of the 2010 draft, he reached the big leagues in July 2014. The right-handed hitting infielder spent the next three-plus years with the Royals, hitting .263/.323/.329 over 348 plate appearances.

Of greatest importance, Colón appeared in the postseason in each of his first two seasons. The Royals won back-to-back American League pennants in 2014-15, claiming a World Series title in the latter season. Colón etched his place in franchise history during that championship run. In his only plate appearance of the 2015 playoffs, he came off the bench to pinch hit in the top of the 12th inning during Game 5 of the World Series. Colón rapped a go-ahead RBI single to spur a five-run rally that gave Kansas City a 7-2 victory in the Series-clinching contest.

After his playing days in Kansas City ended in 2017, Colón bounced between a few organizations. He suited up for the Marlins and Reds through 2020 before spending the 2021 campaign in the Blue Jays’ system. The 32-year-old announced his retirement last month but expressed a desire to get into coaching at the time. He’ll begin his post-playing career with his original organization, working in a Royals’ farm system that Baseball America ranked as the league’s third-most talented in August.