Northwoods Green Bay Rockers

Long, Winding Road Lands Bullfrogs Colon in Green Bay for the Summer

Published on June 12, 2014 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Green Bay Rockers News Release


Green Bay, Wis. - Three years ago, Dennis Colon was not even living in the United States. In the three years since, Colon has been in two countries, four cities, and played baseball at three different colleges.

In the spring of 2011, three years ago, Colon was finishing his senior year of high school at Colegio San Felipe in Arecibo, Puerto Rico - a seaside town about an hour west of the nation's capital, San Juan.

Baseball has been a part of Colon's life since day one. Colon grew up in Puerto Rico, but was born in Kissimmee, Florida because his dad, who is also named Dennis, was playing baseball in the Houston Astros organization. Colon's father played baseball for nine years in the Astros and New York Mets organizations. He is now the third base coach for the Puerto Rican national baseball team that competes in the World Baseball Classic. The Puerto Rican team is consistently filled with top-notch major league baseball players and even advanced to the championship game of the WBC in 2013.

Despite being born in the United States, Colon did not stay long, and by the time he was sixteen, growing up in Arecibo, colleges were already looking at his baseball talents. With the desire to play Division I baseball, Colon signed on to play with Southern University for his collegiate career. However, after playing in just fifteen games his freshman year in 2012, Colon decided to leave Southern and play for Kirkwood Community College - a junior college in Des Moines, Iowa.

At Kirkwood in 2013, Colon returned to form, hitting .288 with 30 RBI's and three home runs in forty-four games. His numbers earned him honorable mention all-conference honors, and more importantly, new attention from Division I programs.

Colon ultimately left Kirkwood after the season and ended up at Division I Illinois State in Normal, Illinois, in what he refers to as the "best decision of my life". Despite the good decision, Colon admits that switching between colleges, while adapting to a new country, was sometimes difficult.

"I kind of was nervous about making all of those decisions," Colon said. "But me and my dad just went with it and it all worked out in the end."

The transition between countries and various schools made things more difficult for Colon. However, it was the game of baseball and persistent work ethic that were the common denominators throughout the whole process for Colon that helped him get to where he is today.

"Baseball, I feel like it's the same no matter where you go," Colon said. "Growing up with my dad, who I get my work ethic from, the work ethic was already there, so that made things easier for me as I transitioned."

His second time around in the Division I circuit, Colon played much more with Illinois State this past spring. Colon played and started in fifty-four of the Redbirds fifty-five games in 2014, batting .257 with a .351 on-base percentage. His three triples on the season were a team-high.

Colon's season at Illinois State landed him in the Northwoods League for the summer with the Green Bay Bullfrogs. In thirteen games with the team so far, Colon is hitting .286 with fourteen hits and ten runs scored. In his last seven games, Colon is batting .345 (10-for-29) with ten hits. His .345 batting average in that stretch is third highest on the team.

As for what Colon hopes to accomplish in Green Bay this summer and in the next year at Illinois State? It's to continue with his strong work ethic and hopefully follow in his father's footsteps.

"A lot of repetition, taking my at-bats, and maturing as a player," Colon said. "Hopefully with a good summer [in Green Bay] and a good year next season, a major league team gives me a chance one day."

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Northwoods League Stories from June 12, 2014


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