Zac Veen, Colorado Rockies’ top prospect, has a bobblehead, a mustache and superstar potential

Zac Veen is frozen in motion.

He’s jogging with his right leg forward and his left leg back. His right arm is raised in celebration, as his pointer and middle fingers form a peace sign. He’s wearing an open-mouth grin.

And yes, he has a mustache.

“That’s the most important thing on it,” Veen said of his new bobblehead.

Two years ago last weekend, Veen, clean-shaven and baby-faced, made history as the highest-ever MLB draft pick from Volusia County when the Colorado Rockies chose him ninth overall.

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A lot has changed for the Spruce Creek grad since then. Veen has lived in California and Washington. He has developed a mild Starbucks coffee addiction. He has his own bobblehead, released last Saturday by the Fresno Grizzlies, the Rockies’ Single-A team he played for last season.

And he grew that mustache.

“Wow, time flies,” Veen said when reflecting on his life since June 2020. “That’s the first thing I think of. It seems like just yesterday. It’s crazy it’s been two years.”

But some things haven’t changed.

Zac Veen named Rockies' top prospect in 2021

On the field, Veen has continued flashing the skills that made him a high draft choice. He ripped through his first full season of pro ball last season in Fresno, hitting .305 with 15 home runs, 75 RBIs and 36 stolen bases.

He won the 2021 Doug Million Minor League Player of the Year Award, given annually to the Rockies’ best minor-league performer, and sits as the No. 1 prospect in Colorado’s system, according to MLB Pipeline.

This year, Veen jumped to the High-A level with the Spokane Indians. He hit a towering three-run homer this past Tuesday to give him seven so far this season. Through 53 games, he sports a .260 batting average with 22 steals.

“When we finally got to start playing games (last year), it was definitely exciting, and I was definitely a little nervous in the beginning,” Veen said. “But as time went on, I started to feel more comfortable.”

Veen said getting used to the daily grind of professional baseball was his biggest adjustment. He played only 11 games as a high school senior in 2020 due to the onset of COVID-19. During his first season in the minors last year, he appeared in 106 games.

It started to feel normal about halfway through the year. He developed a routine, with baseball and his daily coffee.

“In high school, I wasn’t really a big coffee guy,” Veen said. “Once I got into pro ball, I kind of found out I have to have coffee. It’s a necessity.”

He tried the drink once early last season and became hooked.

His new facial hair might’ve boosted his bat, too.

“I had a little bit of a nice streak going with the bat,” Veen said. “I had a mustache at that point and kind of felt, as long as it was bringing me success, I can’t get rid of it. Call it a superstition, but I’m kind of starting to like the way it looks.”

Now, his image — mustache and all — are on his bobblehead.

While training in Florida during the winter offseason, Veen received word from the Grizzlies about the promotion. They sent him photos of the model.

“That’s definitely one of the highlights of my baseball career up to this point,” he said. “It looked more realistic than I was expecting.”

The collectible was handed out to the first 1,500 fans at last Saturday’s Grizzlies game, but Veen said he should have a couple waiting for him at his Florida home. It’s a sign of where he’s been and where he’s going.

So two more years from now — four years after the 2020 MLB Draft — where does Veen see himself?

“Still playing baseball.”

Obviously.

“And by then, I think it would be awesome to be in the big leagues,” he said. “That’s the ultimate goal.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: How Zac Veen went from Florida high school star to Colorado's top prospect