Former Major League Baseball first baseman and VFL Todd Helton has joined the Tennessee baseball staff, the team announced Friday.
Helton will serve a volunteer role as the director of player development.
Helton's role, as described in a news release from UT, will include maintaining alumni relations, help with recruiting, assisting the coaching staff, and helping current Tennessee players make decisions for their baseball careers.
"After spending three years at Tennessee and 17 years in the Major Leagues with the Colorado Rockies, I really wanted to give back to this program any way that I can," Helton said in the news release.
Coach Dave Serrano said it was an honor to have one of Tennessee's best players return to the program.
"Our players and coaching staff will benefit from having Todd Helton's presence around the ball field," Serrano said.
Helton played for the Colorado Rockies for 17 big league seasons, and retired in 2013. A five-time All-Star, he finished in the top 25 for league MVP voting six times, and won three gold gloves.
The VFL emerged as one of the game's star first baseman in his 1998 rookie season, belting 25 home runs and hitting .315 in 152 games. Helton finished second in Rookie of the Year voting that season.
The Colorado Rockies drafted Helton in the first round of the 1995 draft with the no. 8 overall pick. Prior to his career as a Vol, he played at Knoxville Central High School.