Rockies select Veen with their No. 9 pick

The Rockies selected high school outfielder Zac Veen with their first pick, and ninth overall, of the 2020 MLB draft on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-4 Veen played at Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange, Fla. A left-handed hitter with pop, he was the No. 7-ranked prospect heading in the draft, according to MLB Pipeline.

Widely considered the top high school player in the draft, Veen is a five-tool player who committed to play collegiately at Florida. His power emerged later in his prep career and he’s already earned comparisons to a young Christian Yelich or

Cody Bellinger.

“A big thing for me was being more physical and gaining more weight throughout the years (of high school) to gain the strength I have now,” Veen said. “I went from being 160 pounds to 205 in two years, so that’d be a good reason I have the power I do now… I think my power is going to continue to get there, the more I grow into my body.”

Florida’s 2020 Gatorade player of the year, Veen is the third outfielder ever selected by the Rockies with their first draft pick, joining Kyle Parker in 2010 and David Dahl in 2012. He is the 15th high school player ever selected by the Rockies with their first pick, and wasn’t surprised to get the call from Colorado, which has been tracking him for several years.

“He has a fluid, slightly rising swing with the ability to impact the baseball,” Rockies scouting director Bill Schmidt said. “He uses his hands real well, he’s got good raw power and some good balance, rhythm and timing to his swing.”

As a senior for Spruce Creek, the 18year-old hit .500 through 11 games with four doubles, three homers, 10 RBIs, 17 steals, a .627 on-base percentage and a .969

slugging percentage before the season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Veen is the sixth high school player selected by the Rockies in their last 10 first-round picks. he can play all three outfield positions, and Schmidt noted he has the arm strength to play right field.

“I’m someone who plays with a lot of passion in the game, and I never take a play off,” Veen said. “I’m also never going to get outworked.”

Last year, Colorado selected UCLA first baseman Michael Toglia with its first-round pick at No. 23 overall. And in 2018, the Rockies took southpaw Ryan Rolison — now the organization’s top starting pitching prospect — at No. 22 overall. The slot value of this year’s No. 9 pick is $4,949,100.

“(The signing question) is a question that’s going to get answered a little bit later,” Veen said. “I love the Rockies organization and I’m happy they’ve decided to give me an opportunity; I think all that will handle itself.”

Other notable first-round picks by the Rockies include first baseman Todd Helton (No. 8 overall out of Tennessee in 1995), left-hander Jeff Francis (No. 9, University of British-Columbia, 2002) and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (No. 7, Long Beach State, 2005).

Plus, current Rockies Trevor Story (No. 45, Irving High School, Texas, 2011), David Dahl (No. 10, Oak Mountain High School, Alabama, 2012), Jon Gray (No. 3, Oklahoma, 2013), Kyle Freeland (No. 8, Evansville, 2014) and Brendan Rodgers (No. 3, Lake Mary High School, Florida, 2013) were all first-rounders. Veen frequently works out with Rodgers.