Former New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series teammates.
Now both big prospects on their way to the big leagues.
Oh, to go back in time to International Week at Fenway Park in 2019, where a bevy of future top prospects congregated for what remains one of the most memorable, star-studded events in company history…you don’t need to go back very far to see what Dylan Crews and Zac Veen have been doing this past week, however, so let’s take a quick look at them and some others who’ve stood among FSS alums in pro ball.
Zac Veen, OF — Colorado Rockies (AA)
A star of both that 2019 International Week and that year’s national tournaments as a member of the Scorpions — alongside Crews and Drew Romo, among others — Veen has shown that the numbers he produced last year while trying to play for an injury that ultimately shut him down are not indicative of what’s in the tank. The 22-year-old outfielder, who went No. 9 overall to the Rockies in 2020, has gotten off to a hot start for Double-A Hartford; he’s 6-for-10 with a homer and five RBI in his last two games, and is hitting .360 on the young season.
Dylan Crews, OF — Washington Nationals (AA)
Crews, who went No. 2 overall just last year behind only Paul Skenes, is obviously no slouch either. One of the Washington Nationals top prospects, Crews hit a grand slam on Sunday as part of a day in which he went 3-for-5 with that homer, those four RBI and a stolen base. He’s got a healthy .818 OPS through the first two weeks of the year, and could move quickly if a need arises.
Tink Hence, RHP — St. Louis Cardinals (AA)
Some of these don’t really require much in the way of in-depth analysis. We’ll simply let the stats from his first two starts this season speak for themselves: 2-0, 0.90 ERA, 1 BB, 11 K, 0.40 WHIP, .091 batting average against.
Nolan McLean, DH/RHP — New York Mets (A+)
We caught you up with the Dirtbags alum this past week with a visit to Brooklyn, and he’s garnered some national headlines since. The two-way star showed what he could do with the bat a few days after a scoreless debut start on the mound at High-A, and has now homered twice in his first week with the bat.
Robby Snelling, LHP — San Diego Padres (AA)
The one-time MVP of the Future Stars Series national tournaments as a member of NorCal, Snelling continues his meteoric rise through the San Diego Padres system at just 20 years old. On April 12, he went five scoreless and struck out six for Double-A San Antonio, allowing just one walk and three hits.
Tyler Soderstrom, C/1B — Oakland A’s (AAA)
One of the first FSS alums to reach the big leagues, Soderstrom continues to develop in an everyday role in Triple-A with Las Vegas. Mostly used as a catcher this season, the 22-year old already has five homers in just 45 at-bats, including bombs in back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday.
Roc Riggio, INF — New York Yankees (A+)
Roc Riggio. Still good. The 2020 International Week standout went in the fourth round to the New York Yankees last year at No. 129, and is already at High-A as Hudson Valley’s regular second baseman. He’s got a whopping 1.009 OPS thus far and has shown an impressive eye at the plate, drawing seven walks in just 25 plate appearances compared to just three strikeouts, as well as three extra-base hits to his credit.
Silas Ardoin, C — Baltimore Orioles (AA)
A fellow fourth-rounder, albeit a year earlier, Ardoin is also off to a strong start with the Double-A Bowie Baysox. He’s got a 1.036 OPS over the first two weeks of the season and has already produced two multi-hit games for the Baltimore Orioles affiliate.
