DENVER – Rockies rookie outfielder Zac Veen has learned that the path to spectacular runs through the mundane. “The most boring stuff is the most important here,” Veen said. Immediately after being recalled on Aug. 11 from Triple-A Albuquerque – which has named Veen as the team’s 2026 Most Valuable Player – Veen injected excitement. He knocked a home run in each of his first two games and made a daring dash from third to score on a short wild pitch in his fourth contest. Since then, he has only sprinkled in the electric moments, including a key triple in a victory over the Orioles on Sept. 1, the RBI double to force extra innings in a win over the O’s the next game and RBIs on squeeze bunts in consecutive games against the Cardinals on Sept. 4 and 5. For the most part, the left-handed-hitting Veen has platooned with Jordan Beck. Veen entered Tuesday night against the Diamondbacks batting .260 (13-for-50, 2 HR, 9 RBIs) against right-handers, compared to 1-for-9 with three RBIs left-on-left. Not playing full games has been an adjustment, but he is embracing opportunities to learn by playing and by watching.
“With the ability to have all the data and the knowledge that all the coaches have here, it’s tough not to learn something new every day,” Veen said recently, after a lengthy period of defensive footwork and discussion with first-base coach and outfield instructor Doug Bernier. “They do a good job of finding anything and everything that I probably don’t know about the game.” |
As the ninth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Veen, 24, arrived in pro ball with a swing and a body that projected to produce strong slugging numbers. But after struggling to a .118 average in his first 12-game trial last year, it was clear Veen had to make some lifestyle changes before anyone could discuss his potential. The offense has made forward strides. Manager Warren Schaeffer said he has also seen Veen go from “abysmal” defensively in the Arizona Fall League in 2022 (Schaeffer managed him with the Salt River Rafters) to “excellent” with an improved arm. “I’ve seen a huge development in Veener this year – enormous on the mental side of the game, the way he prepares,” Schaeffer said. “He went from not being a very good preparer to ‘Pilly’ [hitting coach Brett Pill] giving him unbelievable marks. Credit to him for how he looks at the game, how engaged he is in the game and the preparation before the game.” Where Veen’s progress shows best is his .333 (3-for-9) average with one double and two RBIs as a pinch-hitter – strong numbers for a player still searching for the right feel when entering midstream. “The growing part is really just finding ways to make it feel like you've been in the game already, because there is a flow to the at-bats,” Veen said. The overall performance has left the Rockies encouraged, but Veen must improve his slugging to become a daily force. From Triple-A to the Majors, Veen has experienced higher whiff (26.0 percent to 41.2 percent) and chase (34.8 percent to 41.2 percent) – not uncommon facing better pitching while not playing nine innings every game. But interestingly, Veen’s hot zones – where he does the most damage – are much the same. The Minor League hot zone chart is not publicly available, but what the Rockies provided from his time in Albuquerque largely matches what is seen here. |
Reaching his power potential is a matter of recognizing the opportunity to take his best swing. “I'm always going up there with my best thought and plan and approach, and that’s always to hit the ball hard and do damage,” he said. “I feel like I really can help the team more when I'm hitting the ball as hard as I can.” Schaeffer believes Veen is closer to putting his thoughts into action. “It’s just the overall at-bat quality, refining it,” Schaeffer said. “He knows that. He will be refining where he should be looking, where pitchers are attacking him. “It’s just the everyday grind of a big league season. You’ve got different guys attacking you in different ways. So it’s how to plan for that. What to lay off of, where to hunt. It’s honing in on your strengths.” The repetition to reach that point can be boring stuff – until it works and ignites a crowd. “It’s an everyday practice and I don’t think anybody’s ever really good at it,” Veen said. “But I think the most boring people are typically the most in line with what makes them the best version of themselves.” |
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Rockies No. 3 (MLB Pipeline No. 55) prospect Charlie Condon finished a wire-to-wire season at Triple-A Albuquerque with his 27th home run in the finale, a 14-7 home loss to Salt Lake. Condon, the third overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, struggled through a left wrist injury that curtailed his numbers that summer and sustained a fractured right wrist last spring. Last year, between a summer spent mostly at Double-A Hartford and Arizona Fall League action, the Rockies were able to give Condon 121 games. This year, he stayed healthy for 130 games. “Last year was shortened with the wrist injury; I had to fight that when I came back and was scrapping to get settled and comfortable in the box again,” Condon said. “This year, to get a full year of Triple-A at-bats, healthy, is a blessing.” |
With veterans Jose Quintana and Kyle Freeland returning to the rotation to finish the season, the Rockies ended the rookie season of 2022 first-round pick Gabriel Hughes (0-8, 6.33 ERA with one save in 14 games/13 starts). Hughes, who made it to the Majors after a long return from 2023 Tommy John right elbow surgery, was optioned to Albuquerque. Hughes’ next chapter? Take advantage when ahead in counts. “The big league experience and all the starts that he got were extremely important for him to see how the game operates here, the caliber of hitter he’s facing and what he needs to do to those hitters,” Schaeffer said. “How to make in-game adjustments, once you get ahead, is a big one. “Gabriel in general gets ahead well, but it’s what kind of stuff and how you can do it to put hitters away. He’s been tasked with how to avoid a big inning. There’s no reason to think that Gabe can’t come out on the other end and be a really good pitcher for us.” |
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