Brian Sevald-USA TODAY Sports

2022 White Sox in Review: Seby Zavala

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Besnik Zekiri | Last updated 1/24/23

The White Sox backup catcher’s role expanded after showing improvement.

Seby Zavala performed well in the backup catcher role for the Chicago White Sox in 2022. Starting backstop Yasmani Grandal suffered an injury-plagued season, but Zavala's improved production at the plate allowed the Sox to deal fellow catcher Reese McGuire at the trade deadline.

Zavala's 2022 campaign began with Triple-A Charlotte as McGuire assumed backup duties for the MLB club. However, McGuire's lackluster season and Grandal's injuries allowed the former 12th-round pick to crack the White Sox roster. Zavala produced his best minor league numbers since 2018 to begin the year. In 41 games, he accumulated a .932 OPS across 169 plate appearances for the Knights.

A Step Forward

In mid-June, the White Sox promoted the San Diego State product, and he never went back down to Charlotte. Zavala's improvement at the plate was apparent in his 61 appearances (49 starts). In 101 more plate appearances than the season year, Zavala improved his OPS by .113 points, reduced his strikeout rate by 8.2 percent, and increased his walk rate by 4.5 percent.

The 29-year-old showed his talents behind the dish as well with his pitch framing. Zavala ranked among the best in the league in catcher framing runs and strike rate. Specifically, he was sixth in the American League and 11th in baseball in framing runs, and third in both leagues in strike rate. Zavala caught 17 of Dylan Cease's 32 starts in 2022, and his ability to steal strikes for his pitchers provides another perspective.

The Hidden Value

In those 17 starts, Cease surrendered just 18 runs on 60 hits across 105 innings. The AL Cy Young runner-up fanned 117 and walked 37 en route to a 1.45 ERA in those starts, which produced a 9-3 record. Of course, this is not the primary reason for Cease's success, but the White Sox backup catcher is helping.

Final Grade: B+

What's On Tap Next?

Seby Zavala produced what is expected by a solid backup big league catcher. He proved his days in the minor leagues are over and he belongs is on a major league roster. Zavala is the answer for the Chicago White Sox as a backup catcher if he can maintain 2022's plate production and keep stealing strikes.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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