Colt Keith, Former Rolling Hills Schools’ Student, Signs 6-year Contract with Detroit Tigers
(Update! The article below appeared in Crossroads magazine last month. Since it was written, Colt Keith has signed a $26.8 million six-year contract with the Detroit Tigers, who said, “We are looking for people who care about winning and who are competing as hard in the gym and on the dirt in early work as they are in the batter’s box. That’s what we saw in Colt.” At this time he is enjoying Spring Training with the Tigers in Florida.)
“Take me out to the ballgame” is a call that Colt Keith has made throughout his life and it has led him to being named the Detroit Tigers Minor League Player of the Year for ’23 as reported by Baseball America magazine.
While visiting family over Thanksgiving, Colt talked to athletes at Buckeye Trail and gave them suggestions on how to become good at whatever field they chose. He encouraged them to follow their dreams while living a wholesome life without alcohol, drugs, or smoking involved. His advice was, “Stay away from that stuff.”
He explained the routine schedule that he keeps to stay in good physical condition and gave websites for workouts that would be helpful. Since Colt works out six days a week for at least two and a half hours, he feels exercise is very important for fitness and power. He told the athletes, “I love to work out.” The importance of eating nutritional meals and drinking lots of water was also pointed out. “You have to help yourself get better.”
Mindset is so important no matter what path you want to take. Colt told students, “Do what you want to do and do it better than other people. Have a positive, pleasant attitude. Work hard and love Jesus.”
Those in attendance had many questions to ask Colt after his presentation. He always gave honest personal answers and great encouragement. Everyone received his autographed baseball card.
His passion for baseball began playing t-ball in Lore City. His elementary school years were spent in Rolling Hills School District where he also wrestled. However, once his parents noticed his great love for baseball, they moved to a spot where baseball could be played year-round.
Colt expressed great appreciation to his parents and coaches for being so supportive along the way. His dad, Troy, was a wrestler and became a teacher and wrestling coach at Meadowbrook while his mom, Mary, played college basketball and then became an attorney. Sports were always a big part of their family.
First, they went to Utah and then to Arizona where Colt played baseball at the positions of shortstop or catcher with Verredo High School, which was not far from Goodyear – Spring Training grounds for several major league baseball teams. It was then he first had the idea that he would like to be drafted. “You have to have a goal.” While in Arizona, he was named High School Player of the Year.
Later they moved to Biloxi, Mississippi where he finished his high school years and met his fiance, Kait. While he was offered a scholarship to the University of Arizona, once he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2020, he decided to try that opportunity first.
Even though they moved, Colt always came back in the summer to play ball with his grade school friends. He remarked, “The Guernsey County Miners were the best team around back then.”
While working his way up through the minor leagues, Colt played second and third base. Frequent awards came his way in the form of Player of the Week, Player of the Month, Best Single-game Performance, and a place on several All-Star teams.
This left-handed slugger has a fantastic career batting average of .303 and a .976 fielding percentage. In July, he moved up to the Toledo Mud Hens, a triple-A team. He remarked, “I batted and played my way up. I’m always anxious for the game to start.”
A typical ML Tigers announcer on July 23 said:
Colt Keith with a beautiful piece of hitting to find the hole and drive in the go-ahead run with 2 outs in the 8th. He’s 3-for-4 with a double, a sac fly, and 2 RBIs tonight. And he just stole a base.
A couple of his memorable moments were in ’22 when he hit a walk-off home run in Michigan, and then in ’23, he hit another walk-off home run in Erie. At his first bat in triple-A against the Columbus Clippers, he hit a home run.
Colt has played on two All-Star Teams recently. In ’19, he was chosen for the Future All-Stars where the top 30 high school baseball players from all over the United States played a game before the regular All-Star game in Cleveland. In ’23, Colt played in the Minor League All-Star game in Seattle. There were only two chosen from the Detroit leagues.
Now Colt’s looking forward to the future with the Detroit Tigers. After signing he told the press, “My mission is to be the best player possible and help win a World Series Championship for Tiger fans everywhere.”
Gypsy Road Trip 