Wheeler was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the first round, 32nd overall, of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.[6][7] He made his professional debut with the Tri-City Dust Devils, playing in 68 games and hitting .256 with 5 home runs and 35 RBI. Prior to the 2010 season, he was ranked as the Rockies' seventh best prospect by Baseball America.[8] Wheeler spent the 2010 season with the High-A Modesto Nuts, playing in 129 games and hitting .249/.341/.384 with 12 home runs, 63 RBI, and 22 stolen bases.[9]
He played in 138 games with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers in 2011, batting .287/.365/.535 with career-highs in home runs (33) and RBI (86), and 21 stolen bases.[1] Prior to the 2012 season, Baseball America rated him the Rockies' fifth best prospect.[10] However, he suffered a fracture of the hamate bone in his right hand only a few days into the season. He missed significant time that season, finishing with a .303 batting average and 2 home runs in 92 games for the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox.[1]
On November 20, 2012, the Rockies added Wheeler to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. [11] He played in 109 games with Colorado Springs in 2013, hitting .262/.330/.355 with 5 home runs, 42 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. On November 27, 2013, Wheeler was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A.[12]
Wheeler spent a third straight season with Colorado Springs in 2014, making 119 appearances and slashing .233/.313/.387 with 11 home runs, 45 RBI, and 9 stolen bases.[13] In 2015, Wheeler played in 124 games for the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, batting .245/.345/.367 with 10 home runs, 45 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. He elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2015.[14]
On May 21, 2016, Wheeler joined the Humboldt Crabs as the team’s hitting coach, working alongside manager Tyson Fisher and pitching coach Eric Giacone.[15]
