Saw a video of Zac Veen, after he added 20 pounds of muscle in 2020, and I have to say he had a better quarantine than me. He must’ve been keeping in such good shape in 2020 because people were chasing him after accidentally spoonering his name. Feels like I’ve been looking forward to writing this post on Zac Veen since the pandemic. I remember clearly the 2020 MLB draft because it felt like that was the only thing happening with MLB at that time. Or maybe ever again. Weird times! Because the 2020 MLB draft had my attention and I went back to look at it. Spencer Torkelson was 1st overall — um, okay. Since All-Stars were highlighted, the latest All-Star from that draft? Five before the end of the draft in the 5th round, pick 156th overall was Bryce Elder. He wore the Shroud of Touki for the Braves in 2023. The 126th pick and round before that for the Braves? Spencer Strider, their 2022 Touki. Some teams are drafting outfielders and middle relievers you will never hear of, and the Braves are drafting Cy Young candidates. There’s only two other All-Stars from that draft and they were drafted 100 picks previously with Westburg and Crochet. Braves are truly an incredible franchise. One franchise that is slightly less successful at, well, baseball’ing, is the Rockies. Could Zac Veen spooner his name and immunize himself from the Rockies? Is that possible? No? Sigh. So, what can we expect from Zac Veen for 2025 fantasy baseball?
Zac Veen will play home games in Coors, so the boost is gonna be there. Does he need it? Seems unlikely:
Zac Veen (@Rockies‘ No. 6 prospect) prospect goes deep in his second straight game for @GoYardGoats. pic.twitter.com/98eB3o6Axb
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 9, 2024
And one more:
“It’s gone … and I mean, REALLY GONE!”@Rockies sixth-ranked prospect Zac Veen unloads on a solo shot, upping his Double-A @GoYardGoats slash line to .345/.449/.638. pic.twitter.com/G3Xb0X1Fvk
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 2, 2024
Minor league camerawork leaves a lot to be desired, especially when trying to find a guy running. Here’s an example more about the poor camerawork than Zac Veen’s speed:
ZAC VEEN!!!
He pulls off a STRAIGHT STEAL OF HOME ??? pic.twitter.com/hL6otbRbz3
— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) September 8, 2024
So, power and speed, which makes the Fantasy Master Lothario (don’t abbreviate it) go vroom vroom. Speaking of vroom vroom, may as well call him Zac Vroom his speed is so crazy. A Corbin Carroll speed comp isn’t too far off. Last year, Zac Veen went 11/21 across four levels, ending at Triple-A for 21 games with a 6/6/.220 season in 82 ABs. Things are a little troubling under the hood. He had a .231 BABIP in Triple-A with a 26.1% K%. That screams to me that he makes some incredibly weak contact. It’s at 22 years of age and less than a month of games, so won’t put too much into it, but I’d feel a lot better about a guy just mashing everywhere. He has not.
In Double-A in 2023, Zac Veen hit .209 with a .260 BABIP. See the pattern? The K% was only 21.4% there too, so, again, that signals weak contact. A guy should not have 50-steal speed and just randomly put up garbage BABIPs year after year without an issue. Between 2023 and 204, this was only in 67 games, and he was barely old enough to drink. So, again again again, not yelling fire in the theater of Razzball, but you want me to give you my thoughts, and I can’t stop thinking those same thoughts. To take a random guy with insane speed, look at Elly De La Cruz’s BABIPs. They’re not even below .330, forget .230! There’s two parks that can truly help BABIP, and Coors is one, so it’s not all bad. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned.
What’s his ETA in the majors? Well, he ended the year at Triple-A, so should be in camp in the Spring with a chance to break with the team, but I can’t help hear Bud Black’s whispering in my ear, “I’m going to coax Charlie Blackmon out of retirement,” and Zac Veen has me more worried than truly excited. Then throw-in he’s a lefty and, even if there’s no splits, managers treat rookies like they have them. For 2025 fantasy baseball, I’ll give Zac Veen projections 32/5/30/.231/22 in 302 ABs with a chance for more.
Trade F. Valdez and Castillo for Riley Greene and a 4th round pick?
12 team Keeper league H2H. 7×7
I don’t know much about his upside and if hes actually worth it.
Nah
I can’t get excited about Rockies rookies because of Bud BLOCK. If Veen plays this year, it will be in a platoon with an incoming free-ancient outfielder like Robbie Grossmann
Hahaha, yeah, I hear that
In fairness to Bud Block, he has not really been wrong — pretty much all those rookies he has been reluctant to play turned out to have sucked.
Bud Block knows all
Veen is a dude.
Hope so!
The Angels just signed Travis d’Arnaud. Not that they have a young catcher who was one of the few bright spots on the team or anything. They apparently don’t have any other needs or better ways to spend money. Please trade Trout. He deserves so much better.
The Angels and Rockies should have a contest for who’s the biggest joke
Yep. I am speechless.
Whats next, a 1B to platoon with Schanuel? How about a SP who is 35 and was 4-12 with a 5.88 ERA last year and has an ADP of 674?
HAHA
Kevin Newman…
Incredible
Kyle Hendricks, Scott Kingery and d’Aranud? What an offseason!
I dont think I’d even draft any of them in a 50 round DC. Thats how bad they are.
Ha, the Gary Sanchezes of the outfield, you say?
Haha…
The Rockies will probably try and get Dexter Fowler out of retirement to block Veen LOL
HAHA
Keep forever with no contracts. Butler, Robert or Royce? Who’s the odd man out?
Royce
Greetings & Salutations, Grey…keeper question: 12 team roto league, 6×6 (OPS and holds), keep 5 in exchange for a draft pick…which 5 would you choose:
1) Jo-Ram (1st rounder), Soto (2nd), Witt (3rd), J-Rod (6th) and Jarren Duran (12th);
2) Vlad (1st), Jo-Ram (2nd), Soto (3rd), Witt (4th), and J-Rod (6th); or
3) Vlad (1st), Jo-Ram (2nd), Soto (3rd), Witt (4th), and Duran (12th)?
1
I’m somewhat struggling here. Is this a sleeper post? It doesn’t really read like one and the projections are depressing. Carry on! I look forward to the Schmohawk series!
It’s a rookie post
With a profile like that he sounds a lot like Drew Stubbs Jr.
Oh wow that’s a good comp…man, I hope not
One great benefit of early drafting: I just got Devin Williams at #68 overall. His rank/ADP were off. Listed at 250. I wasnt planning on drafting a closer there, but in a Gladiator you have 9 draft and play pitchers so….
Guessing closers in early November for a season that starts in late March is no easy task. Just ask all the guys who drafted Ryan Pressley (and Devin Williams) this time last year…
Yeah, I think when drafting in November it’s better to reach a little since there’s so much uncertainty
Damn, that does seem like a bargain
It seems that power drops off pretty quickly. I’m favoring that over speed. There are roughly 41 who hit 25 or more homers last year. Thats basically 2.7 per the 15 teams. So, if you have four or more of those guys its an advantage unless you are Arraezzing it up later in the draft.
Interesting, I can see that…there feels like there’s a lot less Josh Willingham types…it’s why I almost wrote a Jake Burger sleeper, but didn’t (though I do like him)
Yeah, I usually try and avoid drafting DH types but Ozuna is going 67 and was 11 on your player rater, Rooker 73 and 12. He was dangling at 83 in my current draft so I scooped.
73 for Rooker seems excellent…Ozuna seems fine too, if less so
Not too many .300 30/100 potential guys at any ADP let alone after pick 50.
True, the days of wins and Goldschmidts are ebbing
Burger seems like a good pick if you miss out on Naylor, Walker Casas in the 100-110 range. He’s a pretty solid consolation prize.
Yeah, I like him, but he is exactly what you expect, I think
13 team dynasty 5×5…do you think Edgardo Henriquez breaks camp with The Dodgers…same question with Dalton Rushing…thanks as always!!
I don’t think either do
Felt like it hurt you to write that.
Almost like a having to write about a girlfriends ex boyfriend who’s the star of a crappy football team who wouldn’t get much playing time anywhere else.
Haha, fair