Veen ready to fortify Rockies' young core: 'Let's get him going'

DENVER -- The mea culpa at the top of this story doesn¡¯t grovel, just admits a poorly worded pregame question by this reporter. At any rate, Rockies manager Bud Black became salty over the question but made clear the reason for calling up No. 8 prospect Zac Veen and deputizing him as right fielder for his Major League debut on Tuesday night against the Brewers at Coors Field.

The question: ¡°Did it come down to this guy is swinging the bat, and, ¡®Well, we need to win some games?¡¯¡± Not even a reporter expects a 23-year-old off to a good start in Triple-A to be the reason the Rockies overcome their slow start, even if that¡¯s how it sounded.

¡°You always want to win,¡± Black said. ¡°I mean, he¡¯s not expected to win games. For us, that takes 26 guys, not one. So he¡¯s here to just be himself and play. So we need guys who perform. Right now we have a few guys who perform. Right now we have a few guys who aren¡¯t.¡±

The Rockies struggled for runs again, struck out 14 times and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring positions. The 7-1 loss was the Rockies¡¯ seventh in 10 games. Veen, though, offered a screening of how he can spark a club in the sixth by dropping a two-out, one-on, high-bounce bunt single for his first Major League hit and advanced on an error, but the rally fizzled.

¡°That was me, seeing the third baseman back,¡± said Veen, 1-for-4 with a strikeout. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of really good hitters here who I know will drive me in, so I¡¯m just trying to get on base for them.¡±

Black said that Brewers winning pitcher Freddy Peralta "got him with some high fastballs, but he showed part of his game with the bunt hit. Overall, Zac looked fine.¡±

Even the most optimistic assessment of the Rockies is looking at years beyond 2025. That¡¯s why many clamored for Veen¡¯s inclusion after his strong Spring Training, but mistakes of exuberance and inexperience signaled he needed more time.

¡°Everything happened for a reason -- might not have been the worst thing,¡± Veen said. ¡°I took a lot more pride in my defense, talked over some things there and got to enjoy being around my teammates.¡±

Veen, the ninth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, is part of the future. But much of the genesis of the move is that Veen posted an .812 OPS, with two home runs, four doubles and a triple in 28 Spring Training games and followed it up by slashing .387/.472/.677 in his first eight games at Triple-A Albuquerque.

The Rockies believe in the skills that made Jordan Beck, who turns 24 on April 19th, the 38th overall pick in 2022. But Beck was 3-for-20 (.150) with eight strikeouts in 23 plate appearances to start the season, and was optioned to make room for Veen.

Veen¡¯s introduction mirrored that of right-handed No. 1 prospect and 2023 top pick Chase Dollander, who earned a win over the Athletics in his debut on Sunday. Dollander was the best option to replace lefty Austin Gomber (left shoulder soreness) in the starting rotation.

Is Veen -- delightfully wild with the platinum blond hair and the try-anything game -- ready?

He has thought so for a while.

Last year, Veen was in Scottsdale, Ariz., where the Rockies train, rehabbing from a right thumb injury, one that limited him to 65 Minor League games (after a left hand injury stopped his 2023 season after 46 games). While there, he commissioned on his left arm a tattoo of the MLB batter logo.

¡°I felt like, at that time, I was ready,¡± Veen said. ¡°The idea was I wanted to get here at some point.¡±

Veen fits in the outfield age- and experience-wise. Two-time Gold Glove center fielder Brenton Doyle and Mickey Moniak turn 27 next month. Sean Bouchard, 29 next month, has lost time to injury. Nick Martini, 34 (and batting .350) raises the average age.

How young is the position player core? Veen¡¯s debut at-bat ended with Brewers left fielder Isaac Collins crashing into the fence in foul ground to make a highlight-reel catch. Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar -- just four months older than Veen but already a leader -- gave Veen a big brotherly hug.

Tovar is just four months older than Veen, but he entered this year with two years and nine 2023 games in the Majors.

¡°Zac had a good Spring Training,¡± Black said. ¡°He swung the bat well. He¡¯s healthy. That¡¯s the main thing. This offseason, he was in a good frame of mind mentally and physically. So let¡¯s get him going, see what he can do.¡±