SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- MLB Pipeline’s No. 27 prospect Zac Veen played 147 games last year spanning the regular season in the Rockies’ system and in the Arizona Fall League.

For 113 of them, the 21-year-old proved why he is a top corner outfield prospect. He produced a .269/.368/.439 slash line with 11 home runs and 50 stolen bases in 92 games at High-A Spokane, then slashed .333/.444/.444 with one home run and 16 more steals in 21 games while earning AFL Offensive Player of the Year honors.

But the hard times in between, the 34 games at Double-A Hartford in which he hit .177 with one homer, might have been more important to developing Veen, the team's top Draft pick in 2020. It’s likely Veen will return to Hartford to start 2023, but he’s on a development path that could soon put him in the Rockies’ outfield with plenty of Major League action.

Let’s get to know Veen, the Rockies' No. 1 prospect:

MLB.com: In your first Major League camp, with teammates you have mostly seen on television, do you show your excitement or play it cool?

Zac Veen: I’ve thought about this, seeing all the guys I get to play with, some of the guys I’ve watched on TV for a few years now. It’s a cool experience. I’m trying to take it all in. I’m just out there doing me. Whether it’s impressive or not, I’m just out there being Zac Veen.

MLB.com: For much of your time playing baseball, you’ve worn No. 13. In camp here, as a new player, you’re wearing 73. Is that strange, but is that jersey special?

Veen: If it’s got a “3” in it, for “1-3,” that’s a bonus. But the number doesn’t mean very much.

MLB.com: What was the biggest lesson of last season?

Veen: Honestly, everybody’s the same talent-wise. It just comes down to who is going to be able to execute every day, who’s going to prepare a little bit more. I’d say the pitching was just a little bit more fine-tuned.

MLB.com: What was the biggest impression when you moved from Spokane to Hartford?

Veen: I feel pretty good about my plate discipline. That carried over to Hartford, honestly. It was just getting used to the difference. You don’t face very many guys throwing below 90 mph in Double-A.

MLB.com: Was Double-A the best thing for you?

Veen: That really opened my eyes. That unlocked a new part of me that I didn’t know was in there. I grew so much. It was actually failing. I can’t tell you the last time I hit under .200, and that’s a feeling that I don’t ever want to have again.

MLB.com: How did you shine against baseball’s best prospects in the Arizona Fall League?

Veen: Going into the Fall League, I was a new player. I almost remolded myself in a way. I’m getting the most out of Zac Veen now.

My main priority was to show that I’m a big leaguer. I wanted the organization to know that I can handle whatever is thrown at me. Contact was the biggest thing, plus knowing my role as a player. I don’t need to be up there trying to hit a home run every at-bat or trying to do too much.

MLB.com: The way you lit up the Arizona Fall League, is it possible that the Double-A struggles were just part of the normal ebb and flow of a season?

Veen: I’m not really the one to make an excuse. I just call it what it is. The numbers just weren’t there. I could have done some things differently. Some things could’ve gone a different way. But at the end of the day, that’s just baseball. I’m glad it happened in Double-A and not in the Major Leagues.

MLB.com: Given the added muscle, especially in the biceps, did you meet your offseason goals physically?

Veen: I knew I wanted to gain at least 20 pounds -- I got 23. I’m 210-215, somewhere in there. I wanted to make an appearance when I came in, a little bit more physical. That’s only going to enhance my game.

MLB.com: A lot of folks are excited for the next step in your career. How do you make sure excitement doesn’t turn into pressure?

Veen: Everybody’s just excited. My mom can’t wait to get out to Denver -- she loves the city. Everybody’s just ready for the next part of our lives. Mom and brother were out there with me when I signed. We can’t wait to get back out there.

Denver is one of the nicest cities I’ve been -- I can’t wait to get out there and enjoy it more.