Seby Zavala Fantasy Baseball Updates - Ben Rosener’s MLB Beat

September 8, 2023

Ben Rosener looks at the fantasy impact of the Arizona Diamondbacks claiming catcher Seby Zavala off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.

This column aims to cover any fantasy baseball news, big or small, and how it pertains to your fantasy team. Has a player who's usually been hitting in the middle of a lineup suddenly batting eighth or ninth for an extended period? The fantasy implications will be covered here.

The same goes for injuries and injured list placements and whether or not you should consider picking up a player who was recently called up. Basically, any kernel of fantasy news and its relevance to fantasy managers could be covered here.

Today, the news of the day is the fantasy impact of the Arizona Diamondbacks claiming catcher Seby Zavala off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.

Fantasy Baseball Impact Of The Chicago White Sox Claiming Catcher Seby Zavala Off Waivers

The Arizona Diamondbacks added some catching depth on Wednesday. The club has claimed catcher Seby Zavala off waivers from the Chicago White Sox, per a tweet from the National League West club’s official account. The Diamondbacks tweeted the following:

Zavala previously hit .155 with a .207 on-base percentage, seven home runs, and a stolen base in 176 plate appearances for the White Sox earlier this season. And while the power production was certainly encouraging, the 29-year-old veteran also struck out 38.6% of the time. He also posted a 34 wRC+ and a .235 xwOBA in his time with Chicago this year.

More known for the value he brings behind the plate -- Zavala has a 9.2 Def this season -- the veteran is likely only a fantasy option in deeper, two-catcher leagues at the moment.

What’s more, the National League West franchise currently has Gabriel Moreno entrenched as the starter. The former Toronto Blue Jay is batting .289 with a .333 on-base percentage, seven home runs, four stolen bases, a .302 xwOBA, and a 104 wRC+ in 311 plate appearances this season.

With Moreno likely seeing the bulk of the starts from here on out, Zavala seems likely to fill in as a backup option. All that is entirely speculative, though.

As a group this season, the Diamondbacks' catchers are collectively hitting .261 with a .316 on-base percentage, eight home runs, and six stolen bases in 511 combined plate appearances with a cumulative 86 wRC+.

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