10. Brenton Doyle, OF, Rockies
Team: High-A Spokane (West)
Age: 23
Why He's Here: .375/.375/.875 (9-for-24), 5 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBIs, 0 BB, 8 SO, 0-for-2 SB
The Scoop: Doyle runs well and has above-average power, with pop that can produce weeks like this past one with four home runs. The next step up to Double-A will be a big test for Doyle, where his plate discipline and swing-and-miss tendencies will get tested against more advanced pitchers, so a more discerning approach will be critical when he moves up to the next challenge. (BB)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... eek-83121/
2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Moderator: Rays
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Nolan Gorman, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals (Triple-A Memphis): 4-5, 2 R, 2 2B, RBI.
The Cardinals’ top prospect had four hits in just seven innings. Gorman’s bat has been good this season, slashing .289/.344/.494 over two levels and looking ready to tackle big league pitching next year. He needs a bit more seasoning defensively at second, and will reportedly be headed to the Arizona Fall League in October to get some extra reps.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... e-you-out/
The Cardinals’ top prospect had four hits in just seven innings. Gorman’s bat has been good this season, slashing .289/.344/.494 over two levels and looking ready to tackle big league pitching next year. He needs a bit more seasoning defensively at second, and will reportedly be headed to the Arizona Fall League in October to get some extra reps.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... e-you-out/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Rockies: Zac Veen, OF (MLB No. 53), Low-A Fresno
Veen cannot be stopped in the batter’s box or on the basepaths. And because of that, he’s climbing into Fresno’s history books. Veen’s 2-for-4 night was highlighted by four stolen bases, tying him for the most single-game stolen bases in the team’s history. He’s also up to 36 steals this season, which is tied for fifth all-time in Fresno. The 19-year-old has as many as 15 additional games to add to that total, and seven more steals would put him alone in third on the list. He’ll also look to build on his impressive on-base streak, which is up to 27 games.
https://www.mlb.com/news/top-prospect-p ... e-coverage
Veen cannot be stopped in the batter’s box or on the basepaths. And because of that, he’s climbing into Fresno’s history books. Veen’s 2-for-4 night was highlighted by four stolen bases, tying him for the most single-game stolen bases in the team’s history. He’s also up to 36 steals this season, which is tied for fifth all-time in Fresno. The 19-year-old has as many as 15 additional games to add to that total, and seven more steals would put him alone in third on the list. He’ll also look to build on his impressive on-base streak, which is up to 27 games.
https://www.mlb.com/news/top-prospect-p ... e-coverage
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Jasson Dominguez, OF (MLB No. 17), Low-A Tampa
Dominguez notched his second three-hit performance of the season in Tampa’s 8-5 victory, smashing his fifth homer in the third inning. The 18-year-old drove in three runs and added a strikeout. Dominguez ended August riding a 10-game hit streak, and carried his offensive momentum into September with three multihit games in five contests. In his first taste of professional baseball, the switch-hitter is slashing .263/.350/.404 with a .754 OPS, racking up 13 extra-base hits and five stolen bases in 46 games.
Dominguez notched his second three-hit performance of the season in Tampa’s 8-5 victory, smashing his fifth homer in the third inning. The 18-year-old drove in three runs and added a strikeout. Dominguez ended August riding a 10-game hit streak, and carried his offensive momentum into September with three multihit games in five contests. In his first taste of professional baseball, the switch-hitter is slashing .263/.350/.404 with a .754 OPS, racking up 13 extra-base hits and five stolen bases in 46 games.
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Nolan Gorman, 2B/3B, Triple-A Memphis (Cardinals)—After a promotion to Triple-A in late June it took Gorman some time to get going at the new level, as he hit .245 in July. He began to heat up in August, hitting .316, and he's been even better to start September, with 11 hits in 29 at-bats (.379). On Wednesday he hit a homer in his second consecutive game to give him 23 on the season to go with a .289/.341/.501 slash line between Double-A and Triple-A.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... er-9-2021/
Zac Veen, OF, Rockies
Opening Day Assignment:Low-A Fresno
Opening Day Age: 19.39
Veen, the Rockies’ first-rounder in the 2020 draft, has performed splendidly in his first taste of pro ball. The Florida high school product is one of three players with 400 or more plate appearances this season who have posted a slash line of .300/.400/.500. He’s paired those numbers with 36 stolen bases (though the rules changes at Low-A put those numbers in a different context), making for a smashing professional debut.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... n-in-2021/
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Zac Veen, OF, Rockies
Opening Day Assignment:Low-A Fresno
Opening Day Age: 19.39
Veen, the Rockies’ first-rounder in the 2020 draft, has performed splendidly in his first taste of pro ball. The Florida high school product is one of three players with 400 or more plate appearances this season who have posted a slash line of .300/.400/.500. He’s paired those numbers with 36 stolen bases (though the rules changes at Low-A put those numbers in a different context), making for a smashing professional debut.
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Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
3. Zac Veen, OF, Rockies
Low-A Fresno
The Rockies drafted Veen ninth overall out of high school in 2020, and he quickly made an impression on evaluators in the Low-A West League.
In addition to winning the Most Exciting Player category, Veen also received votes for Best Batting Prospect, Best Power Prospect, Best Strike-Zone Judgment, Best Baserunner, Fastest Baserunner, Best Defensive Outfielder and Best Outfield Arm.
In other words, Veen won votes in every category for which he was eligible. The 19-year-old right fielder stands as the easy top prospect in a fallow Rockies system, a designation resoundingly validated by the league’s managers.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... s-ballots/
Low-A Fresno
The Rockies drafted Veen ninth overall out of high school in 2020, and he quickly made an impression on evaluators in the Low-A West League.
In addition to winning the Most Exciting Player category, Veen also received votes for Best Batting Prospect, Best Power Prospect, Best Strike-Zone Judgment, Best Baserunner, Fastest Baserunner, Best Defensive Outfielder and Best Outfield Arm.
In other words, Veen won votes in every category for which he was eligible. The 19-year-old right fielder stands as the easy top prospect in a fallow Rockies system, a designation resoundingly validated by the league’s managers.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... s-ballots/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Curtis Mead, 3B, Triple-A Durham (Rays): Just called up from High-A, Mead went 3-for-4 with two doubles for the Triple-A Durham Bulls on Sunday. Overall between three stops, Mead is now hitting .321/.378/.524.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... r-13-2021/
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Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Alec Burleson, OF, St. Louis Cardinals (Triple-A Memphis): 2-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, K.
Season Stats (High-A, Double-A, & Triple-A): 442 AB, .269/.327/.459, 22 HR.
Burleson has moved quickly through the organization since being drafted 70th in 2020. He’s shown a surprising amount of pop along the way, slugging 22 home runs over three levels this year. The former East Carolina star is likely to return to Memphis to begin next season, but the bat could carry him to a 2022 debut in St. Louis.
Antonio Gomez, C, New York Yankees (Low-A Tampa): 2-4, R, HR, 3 RBI.
Season Stats (Rookie & Low-A): 156 AB, .263/.375/.417 4 HR.
Gomez’s glove is ahead of his bat; his exceptional arm strength and agility behind the plate make him a fine defender. He’s struggled offensively since being promoted to Tampa, hitting under .200 during his first 17 games there. The receiving skills are strong enough, however, to allow ample time for the bat to develop.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... than-ever/
Season Stats (High-A, Double-A, & Triple-A): 442 AB, .269/.327/.459, 22 HR.
Burleson has moved quickly through the organization since being drafted 70th in 2020. He’s shown a surprising amount of pop along the way, slugging 22 home runs over three levels this year. The former East Carolina star is likely to return to Memphis to begin next season, but the bat could carry him to a 2022 debut in St. Louis.
Antonio Gomez, C, New York Yankees (Low-A Tampa): 2-4, R, HR, 3 RBI.
Season Stats (Rookie & Low-A): 156 AB, .263/.375/.417 4 HR.
Gomez’s glove is ahead of his bat; his exceptional arm strength and agility behind the plate make him a fine defender. He’s struggled offensively since being promoted to Tampa, hitting under .200 during his first 17 games there. The receiving skills are strong enough, however, to allow ample time for the bat to develop.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... than-ever/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
2. Alec Burleson, OF Cardinals
A two-way player in college at East Carolina, Burleson focused full-time on being a position player this year and raced up to Triple-A in his first professional season. The 2020 second-round pick hit .269/.327/.459 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs across three levels and is still adding to those numbers playing for Memphis in the Triple-A “Final Stretch.” Physical and athletic, Burleson long had a natural feel for contact and began to tap into power this year with his energies devoted to hitting. He’s played a solid right field and has a chance to be an everyday player.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... y-in-2021/
A two-way player in college at East Carolina, Burleson focused full-time on being a position player this year and raced up to Triple-A in his first professional season. The 2020 second-round pick hit .269/.327/.459 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs across three levels and is still adding to those numbers playing for Memphis in the Triple-A “Final Stretch.” Physical and athletic, Burleson long had a natural feel for contact and began to tap into power this year with his energies devoted to hitting. He’s played a solid right field and has a chance to be an everyday player.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... y-in-2021/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Curtis Mead, 1B, High-A Bowling Green (Rays) — Mead went 3-for-4 with a triple for High-A Bowling Green. Back from his brief stint at Triple-A Durham, Mead is hitting .375 (6-for-16) in the postseason.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... r-28-2021/
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Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Zac Veen
The central Florida area is a hotbed for some of the best amateur prospects in the country, and the Rockies have gone to that well for two of their recent high-profile first-rounders: Zac Veen and Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers, the No. 3 overall selection in 2015, enjoyed a steady and successful rise through the Minors before his big-league debut four years later. But, based on his first year as a pro and the Rockies’ in-season front office changes, Veen could rise a little faster.
The No. 51 overall prospect finished the regular season with a .301/.399/.501 slash line, 15 homers and 75 RBIs for Low-A Fresno.
“If you go 1-for-4 with a broken-bat base hit, you better be the happiest man on the field with how hard this game is,” Veen told MLB.com just before the end of the regular season. “The game is hard. If I could go back [to May], I’d tell myself that every little accomplishment, you better celebrate it like you just won the World Series. With how hard the game is, you can’t ever be too good for a single or too good for a walk or too good for even just helping the team out, whether it’s a sac bunt or anything along those lines. If you do something to help win every day, you’re a good player.”
Veen has a unique perspective when it comes to developing an appreciation for all that the game has to offer. He batted .238 with 30 strikeouts through his first 30 professional at-bats in May.
“I’m actually very happy I went through that at the beginning of the year,” Veen told MLB.com in August. “I’m happy I learned the lows of baseball. It’s definitely something that I will always remember. I think if anything, it’s made me a better player and made me stronger for the rest of my career. It’s definitely making me realize that this game is a little bit physical, but it’s all mental.”
Even beyond the initial struggles, Veen needed to create his own springboard for his professional career.
The Port Orange, Florida native had an experience that was similar to most other 2020 Draft prospects. He got to play in just 11 games at Spruce Creek High School before the pandemic shut down his senior year, but he earned Gatorade's Florida Player of the Year for high school baseball in that short time.
Members of the Rockies’ brass actually got to see him play live before the end of that shortened season. What they saw was enough for them to call on the lanky 6-foot-4 outfielder with the No. 9 overall selection in June of that year.
“It’s a fluid, slightly rising swing with the ability to impact the baseball," Rockies scouting vice president Bill Schmidt told MLB.com after the Draft. "He uses his hands real well. He’s got good, raw power. He’s got good balance, rhythm and timing to his swing.”
After signing an above-slot deal of $5 million, Veen played in the instructional league last year before reporting to Fresno to start 2021.
The 19-year-old hit his first professional homer on June 20 -- at which point he was batting .235 with 19 RBIs in 38 games. But over the last 68 games of the regular season, Veen batted .335 and finished among the top five in the Low-A West in RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS (.900), hits (120), doubles (27), walks (64), extra-base hits (46), total bases (200) and runs (83).
He was also second on the circuit with 36 stolen bases but was caught a league-high 17 times.
Although he was a center fielder in high school, Veen played exclusively in the corners this year for Fresno. Schmidt said after the Draft that most Rockies outfield prospects will bounce around all three positions during their time in the Minors.
“Needless to say, in our ballpark you’d like to see a lesser center fielder playing left field,” Schmidt said. “He’s more than capable of doing that. He’s got the arm strength to play right. We’ll see what the future holds as he develops into a man.”
Veen has already shown an advanced ability to put the bat on the ball, and it’s also reasonable to expect more natural power to develop. Combine this with obvious base-stealing ability and a strong defensive skill set, and the Rockies may have a five-tool player on their hands.
https://www.milb.com/news/prospect-seas ... s-zac-veen
The central Florida area is a hotbed for some of the best amateur prospects in the country, and the Rockies have gone to that well for two of their recent high-profile first-rounders: Zac Veen and Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers, the No. 3 overall selection in 2015, enjoyed a steady and successful rise through the Minors before his big-league debut four years later. But, based on his first year as a pro and the Rockies’ in-season front office changes, Veen could rise a little faster.
The No. 51 overall prospect finished the regular season with a .301/.399/.501 slash line, 15 homers and 75 RBIs for Low-A Fresno.
“If you go 1-for-4 with a broken-bat base hit, you better be the happiest man on the field with how hard this game is,” Veen told MLB.com just before the end of the regular season. “The game is hard. If I could go back [to May], I’d tell myself that every little accomplishment, you better celebrate it like you just won the World Series. With how hard the game is, you can’t ever be too good for a single or too good for a walk or too good for even just helping the team out, whether it’s a sac bunt or anything along those lines. If you do something to help win every day, you’re a good player.”
Veen has a unique perspective when it comes to developing an appreciation for all that the game has to offer. He batted .238 with 30 strikeouts through his first 30 professional at-bats in May.
“I’m actually very happy I went through that at the beginning of the year,” Veen told MLB.com in August. “I’m happy I learned the lows of baseball. It’s definitely something that I will always remember. I think if anything, it’s made me a better player and made me stronger for the rest of my career. It’s definitely making me realize that this game is a little bit physical, but it’s all mental.”
Even beyond the initial struggles, Veen needed to create his own springboard for his professional career.
The Port Orange, Florida native had an experience that was similar to most other 2020 Draft prospects. He got to play in just 11 games at Spruce Creek High School before the pandemic shut down his senior year, but he earned Gatorade's Florida Player of the Year for high school baseball in that short time.
Members of the Rockies’ brass actually got to see him play live before the end of that shortened season. What they saw was enough for them to call on the lanky 6-foot-4 outfielder with the No. 9 overall selection in June of that year.
“It’s a fluid, slightly rising swing with the ability to impact the baseball," Rockies scouting vice president Bill Schmidt told MLB.com after the Draft. "He uses his hands real well. He’s got good, raw power. He’s got good balance, rhythm and timing to his swing.”
After signing an above-slot deal of $5 million, Veen played in the instructional league last year before reporting to Fresno to start 2021.
The 19-year-old hit his first professional homer on June 20 -- at which point he was batting .235 with 19 RBIs in 38 games. But over the last 68 games of the regular season, Veen batted .335 and finished among the top five in the Low-A West in RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS (.900), hits (120), doubles (27), walks (64), extra-base hits (46), total bases (200) and runs (83).
He was also second on the circuit with 36 stolen bases but was caught a league-high 17 times.
Although he was a center fielder in high school, Veen played exclusively in the corners this year for Fresno. Schmidt said after the Draft that most Rockies outfield prospects will bounce around all three positions during their time in the Minors.
“Needless to say, in our ballpark you’d like to see a lesser center fielder playing left field,” Schmidt said. “He’s more than capable of doing that. He’s got the arm strength to play right. We’ll see what the future holds as he develops into a man.”
Veen has already shown an advanced ability to put the bat on the ball, and it’s also reasonable to expect more natural power to develop. Combine this with obvious base-stealing ability and a strong defensive skill set, and the Rockies may have a five-tool player on their hands.
https://www.milb.com/news/prospect-seas ... s-zac-veen
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Rays: Curtis Mead, INF (No. 14), Scottsdale Scorpions
The 20-year-old forced his way through three levels of Tampa Bay’s system during the regular season and showed exactly why on Friday night. Mead connected on a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning that proved to be the difference in the game. The Australia native is now 2-for-7 with a long ball and the free pass through his first two games in of the campaign. Mead posted a .321/.378/.533 slash line with 15 homers, 77 runs scored and 69 RBIs in 2021.
https://www.mlb.com/news/fall-league-pr ... e-coverage
The 20-year-old forced his way through three levels of Tampa Bay’s system during the regular season and showed exactly why on Friday night. Mead connected on a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning that proved to be the difference in the game. The Australia native is now 2-for-7 with a long ball and the free pass through his first two games in of the campaign. Mead posted a .321/.378/.533 slash line with 15 homers, 77 runs scored and 69 RBIs in 2021.
https://www.mlb.com/news/fall-league-pr ... e-coverage
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Curtis Mead, 3B, Rays — After the Rays acquired him from the Phillies in 2019, Mead had one of the breakout campaigns of this past season. The Australian showed hittability at both Class A levels as well as a brief cameo in Triple-A. Mead went 2-for-8 over the weekend, including his first home run of the Fall League. He's 3-for-12 so far in the AFL with a double as well as the home run.
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Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Cardinals: Nolan Gorman, 2B (MLB No. 24), Glendale River Dogs
Deuces were wild for Gorman in Glendale’s matchup with Mesa. The 21-year-old singled twice, walked twice, stole two bases and scored a pair of runs in the River Dogs' victory. Gorman has hit safely in all four AFL games, going 5-for-13 (.385) with a homer, six runs, four walks and three RBIs. The 19th overall pick in 2018 is coming off a 25-homer, 75-RBI campaign with Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis.
https://www.mlb.com/news/fall-league-pr ... e-coverage
Deuces were wild for Gorman in Glendale’s matchup with Mesa. The 21-year-old singled twice, walked twice, stole two bases and scored a pair of runs in the River Dogs' victory. Gorman has hit safely in all four AFL games, going 5-for-13 (.385) with a homer, six runs, four walks and three RBIs. The 19th overall pick in 2018 is coming off a 25-homer, 75-RBI campaign with Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis.
https://www.mlb.com/news/fall-league-pr ... e-coverage
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs — Velazquez's strong turn in the AFL continued through the season's second week. Between Friday and Saturday the slugging Cubs prospect went 4-for-8 with a double, a homer and two walks. He's 10-for-27 to begin the AFL, with four doubles and the longball while drawing seven walks as well. After hitting just four home runs in his first two seasons as a pro, Velazquez, the Cubs' fifth-round pick out of Puerto Rico in 2017, slammed 20 homers in a season split between High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... r-25-2021/
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... r-25-2021/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs — Velazquez and JJ Bleday are forming a formidable duo in the middle of Mesa's lineup. The pair went back to back with home runs on Wednesday as part of Mesa's 12-0 rout of Glendale. For the AFL, Velazquez is now hitting .415/.520/.732 with four doubles, three homers, nine RBIs and nine walks.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... r-28-2021/
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... r-28-2021/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Cubs: Nelson Velazquez, OF (No. 29), Mesa Solar Sox
If Velazquez wasn’t on the map as a true up-and-comer in the Cubs’ organization after a solid regular season, he certainly is now. With a homer and a double, the 22-year-old bumped his batting line to .396/.500/.750 in AFL action. Velazquez has gone deep four times among his nine extra-base hits and has driven in 11 runs, tallying at least one RBI in eight of his 12 games. Chicago’s fifth-round pick in 2017 has hit safely in all but three contests this fall.
https://www.mlb.com/news/arizona-fall-l ... e-coverage
If Velazquez wasn’t on the map as a true up-and-comer in the Cubs’ organization after a solid regular season, he certainly is now. With a homer and a double, the 22-year-old bumped his batting line to .396/.500/.750 in AFL action. Velazquez has gone deep four times among his nine extra-base hits and has driven in 11 runs, tallying at least one RBI in eight of his 12 games. Chicago’s fifth-round pick in 2017 has hit safely in all but three contests this fall.
https://www.mlb.com/news/arizona-fall-l ... e-coverage
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs — Velazquez had an excellent weekend in the AFL, which is in line with the way he's performed for the entirety first three weeks of the fall. His 12 total bases on Friday and Saturday were tops on the circuit, and his line included a double and two more home runs in an overall 5-for-8 effort. Velazquez's 42 total bases are the tops in the league by a wide margin. His five AFL homers place him in a four-way tie for the league lead, along with Jeter Downs, Lars Nootbaar and ...
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... er-1-2021/
Nelson Velazquez, OF, Chicago Cubs (AFL- Mesa): 5-8, 4 R, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB, K.
Velasquez has been the breakout offensive player so far in the desert, slashing .423/.524/.808 in his first 13 games. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, the former 5th round selection finally tapped into his plus raw power this season hitting a career high 20 home runs at his two minor league stops. He’s Rule 5 eligible this year and his strong performance on the field this year should earn him a spot on the 40 man roster soon.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... nry-hucks/
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... er-1-2021/
Nelson Velazquez, OF, Chicago Cubs (AFL- Mesa): 5-8, 4 R, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB, K.
Velasquez has been the breakout offensive player so far in the desert, slashing .423/.524/.808 in his first 13 games. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, the former 5th round selection finally tapped into his plus raw power this season hitting a career high 20 home runs at his two minor league stops. He’s Rule 5 eligible this year and his strong performance on the field this year should earn him a spot on the 40 man roster soon.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... nry-hucks/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Curtis Mead, 3B, Rays — Mead's regular season was impressive enough—he played a part in three MiLB championship clubs and had a successful turn at Triple-A in a year when he got his first official time outside of Rookie ball. He's carried that success over from the AFL, including a 2-for-4 Monday with a double and two runs in Scottsdale's win over Surprise. The double was Mead's eighth extra-base hit of the fall, tying him with JJ Bleday and Richie Palacios for fourth place in the league.
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Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Zac Veen
OF
Born: 2001-12-12
B: Left
T: Right
H: 6′ 4″
W: 190 lbs.
Drafted ninth overall in the 2020 draft, Spruce Creek HS (Port Orange, FL); signed for $5 million.
Previous Rank: #1 (org) #49 (Top 101)
Year Team Level Age PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ BABIP
2021 FRE Lo-A 19 479 83 27 4 15 75 64 126 36 17 .301 .399 .501 116 .396
The Report: Veen got off to a slow start in his professional debut, but there were process-related signals (pitch recognition and swing decisions, to name a few) that hinted a breakout was on the horizon. It took him a month to find his groove, but he ultimately became one of the best hitters in the league, ending with a 301/.399/.501 line with 15 home runs over 479 plate appearances in Low-A. Long and lean with room to add good weight, Veen projects for plus-plus raw power at maturity. There is some length to the swing that will result in some swing-and-miss, but he has a sound approach and realistically projects as a 30 HR bat. He lacks the pure speed to handle center field, but runs surprisingly well underway and has enough arm strength to profile in right field.
OFP: 60 / First-division outfielder
Variance: Medium. There’s a high offensive bar to clear as a corner bat, but Veen’s advanced approach and plus impact should help him produce enough to profile as a middle of the order masher. —Trevor Andresen
Major league ETA: 2024
Mark Barry’s Fantasy Take: Zac Veen, Zac Veen, Zac Veen, Zac Veen
I’m begging of you please cut down the fans
Zac Veen, Zac Veen, Zac Veen, Zac Veen
With less whiffs you’ll be the roto man
Plus-plus pop and good approach
Your Low-A stats were past reproach
Your 36 steals seem a bit obscene
When you swing, you turn it loose
So the final form might be Jay Bruce
But that’s not a bad Coors outcome for Zac Veen.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ects-list/
OF
Born: 2001-12-12
B: Left
T: Right
H: 6′ 4″
W: 190 lbs.
Drafted ninth overall in the 2020 draft, Spruce Creek HS (Port Orange, FL); signed for $5 million.
Previous Rank: #1 (org) #49 (Top 101)
Year Team Level Age PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ BABIP
2021 FRE Lo-A 19 479 83 27 4 15 75 64 126 36 17 .301 .399 .501 116 .396
The Report: Veen got off to a slow start in his professional debut, but there were process-related signals (pitch recognition and swing decisions, to name a few) that hinted a breakout was on the horizon. It took him a month to find his groove, but he ultimately became one of the best hitters in the league, ending with a 301/.399/.501 line with 15 home runs over 479 plate appearances in Low-A. Long and lean with room to add good weight, Veen projects for plus-plus raw power at maturity. There is some length to the swing that will result in some swing-and-miss, but he has a sound approach and realistically projects as a 30 HR bat. He lacks the pure speed to handle center field, but runs surprisingly well underway and has enough arm strength to profile in right field.
OFP: 60 / First-division outfielder
Variance: Medium. There’s a high offensive bar to clear as a corner bat, but Veen’s advanced approach and plus impact should help him produce enough to profile as a middle of the order masher. —Trevor Andresen
Major league ETA: 2024
Mark Barry’s Fantasy Take: Zac Veen, Zac Veen, Zac Veen, Zac Veen
I’m begging of you please cut down the fans
Zac Veen, Zac Veen, Zac Veen, Zac Veen
With less whiffs you’ll be the roto man
Plus-plus pop and good approach
Your Low-A stats were past reproach
Your 36 steals seem a bit obscene
When you swing, you turn it loose
So the final form might be Jay Bruce
But that’s not a bad Coors outcome for Zac Veen.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ects-list/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs — Surprise, surprise, Velazquez had another big day. The Cubs' prospect went 2-for-5 with a double and scored a run in Mesa's wild comeback win over Scottsdale. Velazquez's name is all over the AFL leaderboard. He's current the league leader in the following categories: Average (.392), slugging percentage (.734), OPS (1.224), hits (31), extra-base hits (13), total bases (58) and runs (21). He's just 11 points behind Elijah Dunham for the top spot in on-base percentage and four RBIs behind both Juan Yepez and Bryson Stott. In other words, he has a realistic chance of winning both the traditional and sabermetric triple crowns.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... er-9-2021/
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... er-9-2021/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs — Velazquez has turned the Fall League into a combination of Christmas and Groundhog Day. Like clockwork, he gets up, takes quality at-bats, spits on tough offspeed pitches, makes loud contact and hits a ball a very long way. Then he goes home, goes to sleep, wakes up the next morning and does it all over again. This time, the victim was Peoria righthander and Pirates prospect Roansy Contreras, who was on such an upward trajectory this year that he made his big league debut.
In his first at-bat against Contreras, Velazquez worked the count full before getting a 94 mph fastball on the inner half of the plate. For most players, that might lead to a swing and miss or weak contact. Instead, Velazquez pulled his hands in, got the barrel to the ball and drove it some 400 feet down the right field line for a truly impressive combination of hittability and impact. His eight home runs are the the most in the league, and he also tops the circuit in average, RBIs, and slugging percentage. If he can catch Bryson Stott for the RBI crown, he will win both the traditional and sabermetric triple crowns.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... r-10-2021/
In his first at-bat against Contreras, Velazquez worked the count full before getting a 94 mph fastball on the inner half of the plate. For most players, that might lead to a swing and miss or weak contact. Instead, Velazquez pulled his hands in, got the barrel to the ball and drove it some 400 feet down the right field line for a truly impressive combination of hittability and impact. His eight home runs are the the most in the league, and he also tops the circuit in average, RBIs, and slugging percentage. If he can catch Bryson Stott for the RBI crown, he will win both the traditional and sabermetric triple crowns.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... r-10-2021/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
NOLAN GORMAN
CARLSBAD, Calif.—Like most observers, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak was curious how Nolan Gorman’s transition to second base was going.
Gorman, the No. 40 prospect on the BA Top 100, had been a third baseman his whole life, but after the Cardinals acquired Nolan Arenado from the Rockies prior to last season, he began playing second base to give himself a path to playing time in St. Louis.
Mozeliak said at the general manager’s meetings on Wednesday that he spoke with Cardinals minor league infield coordinator Jose Oquendo about how Gorman’s development was coming along at second base. The answer surprised even Mozeliak.
“Speaking with Jose Oquendo, he’s very bullish on that transition,” Mozeliak said. “I asked him a simple question, like ‘Is he going to be an average second baseman? Maybe offensive-minded, slightly below?’ He just deadpanned me and said ‘He’ll be an above-average defensive second baseman.’ That was really encouraging to hear from someone who’s a really tough grader on infielders.
Gorman, 21, started 77 of his 119 games at second base this season while rising to Triple-A. He also started all five of his games in the Arizona Fall League at second base before his AFL stint was cut short by hamstring tightness.
Gorman drew solid reviews for his defense at third base in previous years, but second base was a question mark given his physical, muscular build. He proved surehanded with only seven errors in his first year at the position and rapidly improved his footwork turning double plays. By the end of the year, even opposing scouts opined he would be able to play second base in the major leagues.
The Cardinals currently have Gold Glove winner Tommy Edman at second base, but with Gorman’s offensive potential, the position projected to be his as long as he showed he could handle it defensively.
With Gorman’s defense at the keystone drawing better than expected reviews, there is now a strong possibility his time will come sooner rather than later in St. Louis.
“It is good news you have people knocking on the door,” Mozeliak said. “It beats the alternative when you don’t have players ready to play. I’m kind of excited about this group that is close and ready to put their fingerprints in the big leagues.”
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... cond-base/
CARLSBAD, Calif.—Like most observers, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak was curious how Nolan Gorman’s transition to second base was going.
Gorman, the No. 40 prospect on the BA Top 100, had been a third baseman his whole life, but after the Cardinals acquired Nolan Arenado from the Rockies prior to last season, he began playing second base to give himself a path to playing time in St. Louis.
Mozeliak said at the general manager’s meetings on Wednesday that he spoke with Cardinals minor league infield coordinator Jose Oquendo about how Gorman’s development was coming along at second base. The answer surprised even Mozeliak.
“Speaking with Jose Oquendo, he’s very bullish on that transition,” Mozeliak said. “I asked him a simple question, like ‘Is he going to be an average second baseman? Maybe offensive-minded, slightly below?’ He just deadpanned me and said ‘He’ll be an above-average defensive second baseman.’ That was really encouraging to hear from someone who’s a really tough grader on infielders.
Gorman, 21, started 77 of his 119 games at second base this season while rising to Triple-A. He also started all five of his games in the Arizona Fall League at second base before his AFL stint was cut short by hamstring tightness.
Gorman drew solid reviews for his defense at third base in previous years, but second base was a question mark given his physical, muscular build. He proved surehanded with only seven errors in his first year at the position and rapidly improved his footwork turning double plays. By the end of the year, even opposing scouts opined he would be able to play second base in the major leagues.
The Cardinals currently have Gold Glove winner Tommy Edman at second base, but with Gorman’s offensive potential, the position projected to be his as long as he showed he could handle it defensively.
With Gorman’s defense at the keystone drawing better than expected reviews, there is now a strong possibility his time will come sooner rather than later in St. Louis.
“It is good news you have people knocking on the door,” Mozeliak said. “It beats the alternative when you don’t have players ready to play. I’m kind of excited about this group that is close and ready to put their fingerprints in the big leagues.”
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... cond-base/
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Cubs: Nelson Velazquez (No. 29), Mesa Solar Sox
The AFL MVP contender continued his torrid season with another two-hit performance, his fourth of November and 12th of the campaign. Velazquez laced an RBI single to center in the first before reaching on an RBI fielder’s choice to third that plated Bleday in the third. The Cubs prospect singled to left in the eighth to cap his day. In 25 games for Mesa, Velazquez is batting .366/.467/.693, an impressive continuation of the regular season in which he hit .270/.333/.496 in 103 games between High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee.
https://www.mlb.com/news/offseason-pros ... e-coverage
The AFL MVP contender continued his torrid season with another two-hit performance, his fourth of November and 12th of the campaign. Velazquez laced an RBI single to center in the first before reaching on an RBI fielder’s choice to third that plated Bleday in the third. The Cubs prospect singled to left in the eighth to cap his day. In 25 games for Mesa, Velazquez is batting .366/.467/.693, an impressive continuation of the regular season in which he hit .270/.333/.496 in 103 games between High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee.
https://www.mlb.com/news/offseason-pros ... e-coverage
Re: 2021 Rays Prospect Reports
Cubs: Nelson Velazquez, OF (CHC 29), Mesa Solar Sox
Velazquez is putting the finishing touches on a stellar AFL campaign in the penultimate game of the season with three hits and three RBIs in Mesa’s 3-1 win. The slugging outfielder’s first-inning RBI double was hit at 111.1 mph and his fifth-inning RBI single had an exit velocity of 107.8 mph. Velazquez has been one of the best performers in the AFL, leading the league with nine home runs and 40 hits while posting a slash line of .385/.480/.712 and an OPS of 1.191. The 22-year-old is one of the top candidates for the AFL MVP and could rise on the Cubs' prospect rankings with his standout performance in the desert. More »
https://www.mlb.com/news/offseason-pros ... e-coverage
Velazquez is putting the finishing touches on a stellar AFL campaign in the penultimate game of the season with three hits and three RBIs in Mesa’s 3-1 win. The slugging outfielder’s first-inning RBI double was hit at 111.1 mph and his fifth-inning RBI single had an exit velocity of 107.8 mph. Velazquez has been one of the best performers in the AFL, leading the league with nine home runs and 40 hits while posting a slash line of .385/.480/.712 and an OPS of 1.191. The 22-year-old is one of the top candidates for the AFL MVP and could rise on the Cubs' prospect rankings with his standout performance in the desert. More »
https://www.mlb.com/news/offseason-pros ... e-coverage
