World Series Champion hired as baseball coach at Missouri High School

A former World Series champion will be coaching high school baseball in Missouri next spring.

McDonald County High School announced that the district hired Christian Colón to be the next baseball coach for the Mustangs.

“This is a tremendous opportunity, and I’m ready to go to work — developing players, building a culture and making a meaningful impact not just in baseball, but in the lives of these young men and this community,” Colón said in a press release from McDonald County.

McDonald County is 4-11 in the early portions of the 2026 season.

The program had back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2022 and 2023. The Mustangs were 44-18 in those two years.

Former Mustangs player Heath Alumbaugh has been the head coach since 2022. He’s also the school’s softball coach.

Athletic Director Bo Bergen said Colón brings purpose and is impact-driven when it comes to coaching.

MLB Pedigree

Colón earned six years of service time in the big leagues, starting with Kansas City. He also had stints with the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins.

His playing career also included minor league stops with the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays. He ended his career in 2021 with Buffalo in Triple-A for the Blue Jays.

He is most well-known for his tenure with Kansas City, where he debuted in 2014.

He played a role in two of the biggest games in the history of the Royals. In 2014, he scored the winning run in a Wild Card victory against Oakland, where the Royals trailed 7-3 in the 8th inning. Colon trotted home on the walkout single by Salvador Perez.

Colón was on the playoff roster of the divisional series and championship series. He was replaced on the World Series roster vs. the San Francisco Giants by Aldaberto Mondesi.

The next year, Colón came up with a big hit in the World Series against the Mets.

His RBI single in extra innings against Addison Reed broke a 2-2 tie in Game 5. It was a pinch-hitting situation for the infielder. He replaced Luke Hochevar in the lineup.

The Royals would go on to score 5 runs in that inning and clinched the 2015 World Series — their first since 1985.

Amateur Career

A native of Puerto Rico, Colón was a standout player for Canyon High School in Anaheim Hills, California.

He was an Aflac All-American in 2006 and was ranked the No. 39 player in the country by Perfect Game in the Class of 2007. He was named the MVP of the Aflac All-American game.

He was drafted in the 10th round by the San Diego Padres in 2007. He chose to go to college and played at Cal State-Fullerton.

He helped the Titans reach the NCAA College World Series. He ended up being the 4th overall pick in 2010 by the Royals.

Cal State Fullerton Titans infielder Christian Colon (4) is tagged out at first by Virginia Cavaliers first baseman Danny Hultzen (23) in the fourth inning during game five of the College World Series. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-Imagn Images | Crystal LoGiudice-Imagn Images