Recently, I played in a home poker game with some parents from my son’s school. Yes, the son of the Son. The boys went out wandering around the neighborhood and ended up in Ding Dong Ditching. Back in my day, a homeowner would open the door and call his inner Walt Kowalski inside and yell, “Get off my lawn!” Now? Crickets because of ringing doorbells. It’s sad. I’m afraid my son is going to tell me that they went to freeze someone’s house, and there was a Thermacell device that scattered the egg into the air before it reached its destination. Well, we live, we learn, and we change. And that seems to be what is happening Zack Gelof of Athletics. He was always attractive for his power/speed profile, but he was associated with low contact and high strikeout rates. Whatever the reason, that no longer seems to be the case. Let’s dig in.
Zack Gelof is 26 years old, 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, and bats from right. He was selected by the Athletics in the second round of the 2021 MLB draft.
During his two junior years, Gelof had a double-digit walk rate with a strikeout rate in the high-20s. The ISO was about .200. In 2021, he hit seven home runs and stole 13 bases in 161 plate appearances. The following season, he hit 18 home runs and stole 10 bases in 440 plate appearances.
In 2023, he combined for 300 plate appearances in Triple-A and MLB. In Triple-A, he contributed 12 home runs and 20 stolen bases, while producing 14 home runs and 14 stolen bases in the majors. The ISO averaged .230 with a 27% strikeout rate. A .267 batting average in MLB was fueled by a .331 BABIP, while the walk rate was 8.7% compared to 13.3% in the minors.
2024 was his first season as a starter, totaling 547 plate appearances. Gelof finished with 17 home runs and 25 stolen bases, but his walk rate was 6.9%, his strikeout rate was up to 34.4%, and his ISO was down to .151. His batting average dropped to .211.
Last season, Zack Gelof missed the start of the season due to an injury in Hamate. When he finally returned to the big leagues, he played in 30 games and collected 101 plate appearances. The walk rate was 6.9%, the strikeout rate was 45.5%, and the ISO was .098. The batting average was just .174 with a .311 BABIP. He then missed the rest of the season with a sprained left shoulder.
Gelof didn’t start the season with the big team, but was called up soon after and has racked up 208 plate appearances. He has 10 home runs, 34 runs scored, 28 RBIs, and eight stolen bases during the season. The walk rate is 5.8%, but the strikeout rate is down to 25% while the ISO is up to .214. A .286 batting average is fueled by a .346 BABIP.
An average exit velocity of 89.2 mph is solid with a career-high 17 degree launch angle. The barrel rate is only 7.7%, however, which is very low for the job. That said, his bat speed increased to 73.7 mph. In the past two seasons, that number has been 72.1 and 71.6 mph.
After having a 47% strikeout rate in his first three MLB seasons, Zack Gelof dropped to 41.5% this season. In relation to the dream, we often want to pull and lift up the chairs.
Having said that, I am encouraged by the plate behavior numbers. The rushing rate dropped to 23.2%, down 3% from last season and down 6% from a career-worst 29.6%. Gelof is moving slowly, 66.7% in the area and 46.2%. Those numbers were over 70% and 50%, respectively. The local connection rate is 78.1%, and the overall connection rate of 73.9% is the first time above 68%. A strikeout rate of 11.9% is a career low by significant amounts.
Zack Gelof is dominant, as evidenced by his .200 ISO. Sutter Health Park is very popular and will likely be the launch site for the summer months. He swings fast but is disciplined and selective in his approach. A running speed of 28.8 ft/sec is in the 90th percentile. Power? Check it out. Speed? Check it out. Nature? Check it out. A change in direction? Check it out. Whether or not that will last remains to be seen, especially since the pitchers will surely adjust, but let’s deal with that when it comes down to it. I almost forgot about the multiple merits at 3B, 2B, and OF. I would take him if he was there.
