Todd Helton
⭐ Hall of Fame 2024
Born: 8/20/1973 in Knoxville, TN, USA
MLB Debut: 1997-08-02 | Final Game: 2013-09-29
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 220 lbs
Full name: Todd Lynn Helton
Biography
Todd Helton, born in 1973, was a prominent Major League Baseball first baseman who played his entire career with the Colorado Rockies from 1997 to 2013. Helton's tenure in the league was marked by exceptional offensive prowess, as he accumulated 2,519 hits and 369 home runs over the course of 2,247 games. His impressive career batting average of .316, along with 1,406 RBIs and 37 stolen bases, underscored his versatility and ability to contribute in various aspects of the game. Helton's skill set allowed him to be a consistent offensive force, earning him five All-Star selections and recognition as the TSN Rookie Player of the Year.
Helton's success coincided with a transformative era in baseball, as he rose to prominence during the late 1990s and early 2000s, a time characterized by high-scoring games and the elevation of offensive statistics. Playing at Coors Field, known for its hitter-friendly conditions, Helton took full advantage of the environment, but his talent was evident regardless of the venue. He was celebrated not only for his bat but also for his defensive capabilities at first base, which made him a well-rounded player. In recognition of his outstanding career and contributions to the sport, Helton was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest players in Rockies history and a significant figure in MLB.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2247 | 7962 | 1401 | 2519 | 592 | 37 | 369 | 1406 | 37 | 1335 | 1175 | 0.316 | 0.414 | 0.539 | 0.953 | 48514.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | COL | NL | 35 | 93 | 13 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 0.280 | 131.6 |
| 1998 | COL | NL | 152 | 530 | 78 | 167 | 37 | 1 | 25 | 97 | 3 | 53 | 54 | 0.315 | 2313.3 |
| 1999 | COL | NL | 159 | 578 | 114 | 185 | 39 | 5 | 35 | 113 | 7 | 68 | 77 | 0.320 | 3301.1 |
| 2000 | COL | NL | 160 | 580 | 138 | 216 | 59 | 2 | 42 | 147 | 5 | 103 | 61 | 0.372 | 6463.9 |
| 2001 | COL | NL | 159 | 587 | 132 | 197 | 54 | 2 | 49 | 146 | 7 | 98 | 104 | 0.336 | 6121.4 |
| 2002 | COL | NL | 156 | 553 | 107 | 182 | 39 | 4 | 30 | 109 | 5 | 99 | 91 | 0.329 | 4325.6 |
| 2003 | COL | NL | 160 | 583 | 135 | 209 | 49 | 5 | 33 | 117 | 0 | 111 | 72 | 0.358 | 5919.2 |
| 2004 | COL | NL | 154 | 547 | 115 | 190 | 49 | 2 | 32 | 96 | 3 | 127 | 72 | 0.347 | 5618.7 |
| 2005 | COL | NL | 144 | 509 | 92 | 163 | 45 | 2 | 20 | 79 | 3 | 106 | 80 | 0.320 | 3830.1 |
| 2006 | COL | NL | 145 | 546 | 94 | 165 | 40 | 5 | 15 | 81 | 3 | 91 | 64 | 0.302 | 1977.4 |
| 2007 | COL | NL | 154 | 557 | 86 | 178 | 42 | 2 | 17 | 91 | 0 | 116 | 74 | 0.320 | 3184.3 |
| 2008 | COL | NL | 83 | 299 | 39 | 79 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 29 | 0 | 61 | 50 | 0.264 | 484.6 |
| 2009 | COL | NL | 151 | 544 | 79 | 177 | 38 | 3 | 15 | 86 | 0 | 89 | 73 | 0.325 | 2622.9 |
| 2010 | COL | NL | 118 | 398 | 48 | 102 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 37 | 0 | 67 | 90 | 0.256 | 210.8 |
| 2011 | COL | NL | 124 | 421 | 59 | 127 | 27 | 0 | 14 | 69 | 0 | 59 | 71 | 0.302 | 1635.8 |
| 2012 | COL | NL | 69 | 240 | 31 | 57 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 37 | 1 | 39 | 44 | 0.237 | 177.1 |
| 2013 | COL | NL | 124 | 397 | 41 | 99 | 22 | 1 | 15 | 61 | 0 | 40 | 87 | 0.249 | 197.2 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 57 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 0.211 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | NLDS2 | COL | 4 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0.188 |
| 2007 | NLDS2 | COL | 3 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.083 |
| 2007 | WS | COL | 4 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.333 |
| 2007 | NLCS | COL | 4 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0.214 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2178 | 2120 | 18889 | 1726 | 79 | 2028 |
| OF | 15 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | COL | 1B | 8 | 7 | 68 | 10 | 0 | 7 |
| 1997 | COL | OF | 15 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | COL | 1B | 146 | 134 | 1164 | 146 | 7 | 156 |
| 1999 | COL | 1B | 156 | 148 | 1243 | 103 | 9 | 152 |
| 2000 | COL | 1B | 160 | 156 | 1326 | 149 | 7 | 143 |
| 2001 | COL | 1B | 157 | 157 | 1302 | 120 | 2 | 139 |
| 2002 | COL | 1B | 156 | 155 | 1357 | 113 | 7 | 138 |
| 2003 | COL | 1B | 159 | 159 | 1418 | 156 | 11 | 149 |
| 2004 | COL | 1B | 153 | 151 | 1356 | 144 | 4 | 130 |
| 2005 | COL | 1B | 144 | 142 | 1237 | 120 | 5 | 136 |
| 2006 | COL | 1B | 145 | 145 | 1367 | 87 | 4 | 156 |
| 2007 | COL | 1B | 153 | 152 | 1448 | 95 | 2 | 153 |
| 2008 | COL | 1B | 81 | 81 | 830 | 57 | 3 | 79 |
| 2009 | COL | 1B | 149 | 147 | 1349 | 96 | 3 | 115 |
| 2010 | COL | 1B | 115 | 105 | 932 | 77 | 8 | 116 |
| 2011 | COL | 1B | 119 | 113 | 985 | 104 | 3 | 110 |
| 2012 | COL | 1B | 67 | 64 | 566 | 57 | 2 | 53 |
| 2013 | COL | 1B | 110 | 104 | 941 | 92 | 2 | 96 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 2178 |
| Left Field | 13 |
| Right Field | 2 |
| Designated Hitter | 2 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | This Year in Baseball Oddity of the Year | MLB.com GIBBY |
| 2005 | Player of the Week | Week of 2005-07-08 |
| 2005 | Player of the Week | Week of 2005-09-24 |
| 2004 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 2003 | Player of the Month | April |
| 2003 | Silver Slugger | 1B |
| 2003 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 2002 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 2002 | Player of the Month | May |
| 2002 | Silver Slugger | 1B |
| 2002 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 2001 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 2001 | Silver Slugger | 1B |
| 2001 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 2000 | Hank Aaron Award | 1B |
| 2000 | MLB Players Choice Outstanding Player | |
| 2000 | Player of the Month | August |
| 2000 | Player of the Month | May |
| 2000 | Player of the Week | Week of 2000-07-22 |
| 2000 | Player of the Week | Week of 2000-08-19 |
| 2000 | Player of the Week | Week of 2000-05-13 |
| 2000 | Silver Slugger | 1B |
| 2000 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1999 | Player of the Week | Week of 1999-06-19 |
| 1998 | TSN Rookie Player of the Year |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | COL | NL | $6,175,000 |
| 2012 | COL | NL | $6,075,000 |
| 2011 | COL | NL | $20,275,000 |
| 2010 | COL | NL | $17,775,000 |
| 2009 | COL | NL | $16,600,000 |
| 2008 | COL | NL | $16,600,000 |
| 2007 | COL | NL | $16,600,000 |
| 2006 | COL | NL | $16,600,000 |
| 2005 | COL | NL | $12,600,000 |
| 2004 | COL | NL | $11,600,000 |
| 2003 | COL | NL | $10,600,000 |
| 2002 | COL | NL | $5,000,000 |
| 2001 | COL | NL | $4,950,000 |
| 2000 | COL | NL | $1,300,000 |
| 1999 | COL | NL | $750,000 |
| 1998 | COL | NL | $190,000 |
| 1997 | COL | NL | $150,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $163,840,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Tennessee | Knoxville | TN | 1993, 1994, 1995 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 13th | 28.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2004 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 16th | 9.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2003 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 7th | 75.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2002 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 19th | 3.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2001 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 9th | 90.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2000 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 5th | 198.0 | 448 | 1 |
| 1998 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 2nd | 119.0 | 160 | 15 |