After being called up in July of 2023, many wondered what Zach Gelof would bring to the table. It was already a lost season for the Oakland Athletics, so there was no downside to seeing what he got. Well, the front office and fans got more than what they bargained for.
In just 69 games with the team, Gelof hit 14 home runs while batting .267. You can talk about a “small sample size” all you want, but that average was good enough to be the best on the team. Projecting his statistics over a full season, and you wouldn’t be surprised to be among the top of the ranks in each category for Oakland.
Wrap that all up, and one thing is clear: Zach Gelof will shine for Oakland in 2024.
Made His Mark Offensively And Defensively
As mentioned, the second baseman hit 14 balls out of the park. He also had 32 RBIs and walked 26 times. Gelof also has decent speed, stealing 14 bases (good for third-most on the team behind veteran Tony Kemp).
ZACH GELOF IS 4-4 TODAY!!!
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) August 17, 2023
His second career 4 hit game both coming in the last 4 days. He’s 12-28 with 8 XBH in the last 7 games
pic.twitter.com/1Hmr3ORzFb
Defensively, he isn’t the greatest in the world but was solid in his first year at the major league level. He led the team in double plays turned (44) while also had the team lead in Baseball Savant’s Fielding Run Value.
He’s a smooth defender who has made some outstanding plays at second base — including a leaping catch to rob Angels’ Mike Moustakas of a hit earlier this month. His soccer career, he says, helped hone his footwork in the infield.
The Mercury News in September 2023 on Zach Gelof
Opportunity Will Knock In Oakland
With Oakland in for another rough year, Gelof will have plenty of opportunities to show why he deserves to be a part of the future. The everyday second baseman has no one to threaten him for his position, increasing the odds for a full season.
With a full offseason to train and prepare, Gelof can address any weaknesses during his rookie stint. This could lead to further improvement in his batting average or on-base percentage, despite those statistics being as solid as they were in his limited opportunities in 2023. He did strike out 82 times (sixth-most), so plate discipline is something to monitor from him.
in the end, building off his season last year will provide a boost of confidence for him and a young Athletics team looking to get off to a good start in just a few weeks.
From what we saw from Zach Gelof in just 69 games, there is plenty of optimism as to why he will shine for the Oakland Athletics in 2024. A’s fans will be eagerly watching to see if Gelof can solidify himself as a future star in Major League Baseball.
Make sure to visit Belly Up Sports every week and follow me on Twitter/X! Also, check out my podcast “Backup to the Backup” on Spotify and YouTube for more NFL content from me.
Featured Image: The Times of Israel
