MLB Player News
-
Seby Zavala C | SEA
Mariners' Seby Zavala: Draws rare start Thursday
Zavala started at catcher and went 0-for-1 with a walk in an extra-inning loss to the White Sox on Thursday.
Making his first appearance of any kind since June 1, Zavala was able to reach base for the first time since May 23 via his one walk. The 30-year-old backstop has seen Cal Raleigh, who eventually replaced him in Thursday's game, draw the overwhelming majority of starts behind the dish, and more recently, Mitch Garver has filled in at catcher on a handful of occasions as well. Zavala's playing time figures to remain sparse, barring injury to one of the two veterans in front of him.
-
Logan O'Hoppe C | LAA
Angels' Logan O'Hoppe: Back in action Thursday
O'Hoppe (groin) is starting at catcher and batting fifth Thursday versus Arizona, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
O'Hoppe had to sit out Wednesday's contest after getting hit in the groin by a foul tip Tuesday, but he is seemingly feeling well enough to catch Griffin Canning in Thursday's series finale. The 24-year-old backstop has been white-hot at the plate recently, going 10-for-23 with a homer, two RBI and five runs scored since the beginning of June.
-
Salvador Perez C | KC
Royals' Salvador Perez: On base five times in loss
Perez went 2-for-2 with three walks in Wednesday's 11-5 loss to the Yankees.
Perez walked three times in a game for the first time in his career. The catcher has gone just 6-for-33 (.182) over 10 contests in June, but he's shown rare patience at the plate by drawing eight walks in that span. For the season, he's at a .302/.381/.488 slash line with 10 home runs, 42 RBI, 26 runs scored, 15 doubles and no stolen bases, and his 9.0 percent walk rate is double his previous career high, which was in a 39-game sample as a rookie in 2011.
-
Jose Trevino C | NYY
Yankees' Jose Trevino: On bench, but getting bulk of work
Trevino is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals.
Trevino is on the bench for a day game after a night game, but he seems to have usurped Austin Wells as the Yankees' preferred option at catcher. He's started in three of the previous four games -- all against right-handed pitchers -- while going 4-for-10 with a home run and five RBI to bring his OPS up to .737 for the season. Though Wells has picked up the pace at the plate over the past month, his .620 OPS on the campaign still sits more than 100 points behind Trevino's mark.
-
Shea Langeliers C | OAK
Athletics' Shea Langeliers: Multi-hit effort in loss
Langeliers went 2-for-5 with an RBI single in a loss to the Padres on Wednesday.
Langeliers laced a sixth-inning single that drove home Miguel Andujar and knotted the score at 2-2 at the time. The multi-hit effort was Langeliers' first since May 30, and it only served to push the backstop's average in June to a paltry .156 across 33 plate appearances. The poor first half of the month can largely be attributed to Langeliers' difficulties making consistent contact, as he sports a bloated 39.4 percent strikeout rate thus far this month.
-
Harry Ford C | SEA
Mariners' Harry Ford: Up to 15 steals at Double-A
Ford is slashing .250/.381/.402 with five home runs, 15 stolen bases and a 20.6 percent strikeout rate in 54 games for Double-A Arkansas.
Ford's numbers were a bit better across the board last year while he was playing in a hitter-friendly home park with High-A Everett, but he is now playing in Arkansas' pitcher-friendly home park. His 15 steals are tied with Blake Mitchell for the lead among all catching prospects, while his 21.9 percent hard-hit rate is a below-average mark. Ford's ultimate power output is to be determined, but his speed and command of the strike zone should allow for him to be an above-average fantasy catcher during his prime years.
-
Freddy Fermin C | KC
Royals' Freddy Fermin: Playing time picking up
Fermin will start at catcher and bat sixth in Thursday's game against the Yankees.
Fermin remains the Royals' No. 2 catcher, but he's been playing more than the typical backup of late due to Kansas City's willingness to deploy top backstop Salvador Perez at first base or designated hitter on his non-catching days. With Perez serving as the Royals' DH for Thursday's day game, Fermin will pick up his fourth start in five games. Fermin is hitting .298 with two home runs, 17 runs and 13 RBI over 122 plate appearances on the season, and his recent surge in playing time could be enough to make him a viable option in AL-only leagues or mixed leagues that start two catchers.
-
Carson Kelly C | TEX
Tigers' Carson Kelly: Resting up Thursday
Kelly is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Nationals.
Kelly will take a seat for the day game after he caught all nine innings of Wednesday's 7-5 loss while going hitless in four at-bats. Jake Rogers will get the starting nod behind the plate in the series finale.