Athletics 2024 Season in Review: Zack Gelof

Infielder poised for a breakout season

Athletics 2024 Season in Review: Zack Gelof

Zack Gelof is the 25-year-old starting second baseman for the Oakland Athletics heading into his third season with the big club. While Gelof played more third base in college and in his early career in the minors, he’s played second base exclusively in the majors.

How was he acquired?

Zack was a second-round pick (sixtieth overall) in the 2021 MLB amateur draft after playing for three years at the University of Virginia. He never missed a game during his college career and was named the second team All-ACC third baseman in his final (Junior) year as a Cavalier.

What were the expectations?

Gelof moved quickly through the minors, playing at A, AA, and AAA levels in his first season in the A’s organization. On July 14, 2023, Zack was called up to the majors and only returned to the minors on injury rehab assignment.

2024 Results

Zack Gelof’s 2024 sophomore season was a mixed bag of successes and regressions. With nearly twice the AB’s of his 2023 rookie season, he hit only three more homers, drove in only seventeen more runs, and his batting average dropped from .267 to .211. He led the team with 188 strikeouts (fourth in all of MLB). He did, however, steal 25 bases and was only caught three times. He excelled in the field with a .988 fielding percentage and only 7 errors in more than 1,200 innings.

2025 Outlook

Gelof will arrive at Spring Training as the A’s starting second baseman. Barring injury or a late winter trade, it’s his position to lose. Hopefully he can remain healthy, play a consistently solid second base and turn around some of those statistical regressions in the batter’s box. I expect a much better 2025 season where he justifies his high draft selection.