Former Royals first-rounder Christian Colon could get a second chance with Braves

The Braves have signed former Royals infielder Christian Colon to a minor-league deal, FanRag Sports reported on Wednesday. The agreement reportedly includes an invitation to spring training.

Colon, drafted fourth overall out of Cal State Fullerton in 2010, was once a top prospect in the Royals’ organization. He became a postseason hero upon his debut in 2014, scoring the winning run in the AL Wild Card game against the Oakland A’s. A year later he drove in the go-ahead run in Game 5 of the World Series in New York.

But Colon, 28, failed to find a permanent role in the major leagues.

After appearing in a career-high 54 games and making 39 starts for the Royals in 2016, Colon’s playing time diminished dramatically. The Royals designated Colon for assignment in May.

He was claimed by the Miami Marlins yet wound up playing in only 24 major-league games in 2017. He batted .160 (8 for 50).

Colon finished the season with Miami’s Class AAA team. He hit .302 with eight doubles and 13 RBIs in 49 games.

The Braves could help rejuvenate Colon’s career. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported this week that the team was in the market for a backup for shortstop Dansby Swanson, who struggled to hit consistently in his first full major-league season.

This story was originally published December 6, 2017 at 12:24 PM with the headline "Former Royals first-rounder Christian Colon could get a second chance with Braves."