Todd Helton is an American former professional baseball first baseman who was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the first round of the 1995 Major League Baseball draft. He went on to play his entire 17-year MLB career for the Colorado Rockies.
Born Name
Todd Lynn Helton
Nick Name
Todd
Todd Helton as seen with the Colorado Rockies while running to first base after a hit during a game on August 18, 2013 (Keith Allison / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED)
Sun Sign
Leo
Born Place
Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Residence
Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Nationality
Education
Todd Helton studied at Central High School located in Knoxville, Tennessee, and lettered in football and baseball. As a football quarterback, he posted 2,772 total yards. He posted a .655 batting average and 12 home runs in baseball as a senior and was named the Regional Player of the Year. His senior season also earned him Baseball America‘s All-American honors.
Afterward, he attended the University of Tennessee on an athletic scholarship to play both football and baseball.
Occupation
Former Professional Baseball Player
Family
Father – Jerry Helton
Mother – Martha Helton
Others – James Edward Helton (Paternal Grandfather), Dorothy Louise Shinlever (Paternal Grandmother), Ernest Ferguson (Maternal Grandfather), Wilma Chisam (Maternal Grandmother)
Position
First baseman
Batted
Left
Threw
Left
Shirt Number
17 – Colorado Rockies
Net Worth
According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, he has a net worth of $75 Million as of 2024.
Build
Athletic
Todd Helton as seen while batting for the Colorado Rockies and swinging at a pitch during a game against the Seattle Mariners in 2006 (Galaksiafervojo / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED)
Height
6 ft 2 in or 188 cm
Weight
99 kg or 218 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Todd Helton has dated –
Christy Bollman (2000-Present) – He tied the knot with Christy Bollman in the year 2000 and the couple has been blessed with 2 daughters named Gentry Grace and Tierney Faith.
Race / Ethnicity
White
Todd Helton is of English, Irish, Scottish, and German descent.
Hair Color
Salt and Pepper
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Sports a goatee
Todd Helton as seen at bat for the Colorado Rockies during a game against San Diego Padres on July 19, 2009 (Dirk DBQ / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 DEED)
Todd Helton Facts
In the 1992 MLB draft, he was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 2nd round (55th overall) but he decided against signing for the team and went on to attend college.
During his time at the University of Tennessee, Todd Helton was named a Gatorade Player of the Year for football and baseball.
He served as a backup for Heath Shuler at quarterback during his freshman and sophomore seasons and then served as the back-up to senior Jerry Colquitt in his junior season in 1994.
During his college career as a football player, he appeared in 12 games and completed 41 of 75 passes for 484 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions.
After his junior baseball season in 1995, he received the Dick Howser Trophy as National Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year. Also, he went on to record a .370 batting average, with 38 home runs and 238 RBI (both school records), while also pitching 193 innings, registering an ERA of 2.24, with 172 strikeouts and 23 saves during his baseball career at the university.
Todd Helton played for the Orleans Cardinals of the Cape Cod Baseball League during the summer of 1994 and was named a league all-star.
In the 1995 Major League Baseball draft, he was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the first round as the eighth overall pick. He then signed with the team on August 1, 1995.
He announced on September 14, 2013, that he would be retiring at the conclusion of the 2013 season.
Todd Helton was arrested in Colorado in 2013 for driving under the influence of alcohol and was subsequently fined $400, received a year of probation and was ordered to undergo 24 hours of community service. After another DUI in 2019 after crashing his car, he entered a treatment program.
Todd and his family have been friends with former Tennessee Volunteers football teammate and former National Football League (NFL) quarterback Peyton Manning.
His shirt number “17” is a tribute to former Chicago Cubs first baseman Mark Grace.
Featured Image by Keith Allison / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
