Zac Veen blasts 454-foot homer, shows growing maturity at Triple-A

Zac Veen’s 454-foot two-run homer gave Albuquerque an early jolt in a 9-3 win over Sugar Land at Isotopes Park, and it did more than light up the scoreboard. The shot, which came in the first inning on Friday night, showed the kind of impact contact that has turned Veen from a toolsy name into a player forcing a harder call from the Rockies.

The homer landed as a statement swing because it came from a hitter who is no longer being judged only on ceiling. MLB.com had Veen as Colorado’s No. 13 prospect at the time, but his recent run has started to look like production instead of projection. By June 24, he had stretched his hitting streak to 23 games, with 12 multi-hit games in that span and a .999 OPS. By June 25, MiLB.com had him at 12 home runs for the Triple-A season.

That line is carrying more than power. Veen’s 2026 numbers sat at .327/.412/.989 with 55 runs, 85 hits, 12 homers, 52 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 260 at-bats, a profile that mixes on-base skill, speed and damage. MLB.com also noted improved plate discipline in Albuquerque, a meaningful detail for a hitter whose raw tools have never been in doubt. The 454-foot drive backed up the scouting report with something more useful: controlled violence at the point of contact.

Ryan Ritter added a two-run triple in the same game, and both players extended long hit streaks as Albuquerque kept rolling. That matters in a hitter-friendly environment like Albuquerque, where power alone can blend in. A ball traveling 454 feet, and reportedly reaching the upper level of the seating berm beyond the left-field wall, stands out because it reflects both quality contact and better pitch selection.

For Veen, 22, the timing matters almost as much as the distance. Colorado drafted him ninth overall in 2020 out of Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange, Florida, and he made his major league debut on April 8, 2025. Injuries, including wrist, back and thumb issues, have slowed the climb, which makes this stretch feel less like a hot week and more like a correction to the developmental arc. Earlier in 2026, he also uncorked a 468-foot walk-off homer in Cactus League play, another reminder that the power has always been loud.

The Rockies do not need Veen to become a finished product overnight. They do need him to keep stacking days like this one, because a player who is producing this much in Triple-A, while showing a steadier approach, has turned himself into a legitimate second-half option.