MAHOMET, IL – Eric Colaco (Richfield, OH/Revere), a rising senior for the Denison University baseball program, was recently chosen as the 2024 Prospect League Roland Hemond Pro Prospect of the Year after a league-wide vote of the managers.
 
Colaco who earned D3baseball.com Player of the Year for his work with the Big Red this past spring, continued to excel during the summer months with the Chillicothe Paints.

Colaco led the league with 23 extra-base hits and ranked second in batting average (.396), total bases (103) and sacrifice flies (6), third in slugging (.628) and runs scored (53), fourth in home runs (7) and RBIs (46), fifth in hits (65), doubles (15) and stolen bases (38) and seventh in on base percentage (.462). Colaco compiled a 1.090 OPS and recorded 25 multi-hit games.

"It's awesome that Eric is getting the recognition he has earned," said Denison head coach Mike Deegan. "Our program is lucky to have him. He's super talented but he's an even better teammate."
 
Colaco is the first member of the Paints to receive the accolade as the league's top professional prospect since Dillon Dingler, who now plays with the Detroit Tigers, did so in 2018. Colaco is the fourth Paints' player to receive the honor. 
 
Colaco returns to Denison for his senior year as the only known baseball player with 200+ hits, 200+ runs, 150+ RBI, and 100+ steals through his junior season in D-III history.