Red Sox sign two minor league free agents, adding depth in the upper levels of system
The Red Sox made two depth signings on Wednesday, adding former Royals utilityman Nate Eaton and catcher Seby Zavala.
Eaton’s deal includes an invite to major league camp and will guarantee him $780,000 if he reaches the majors. The 28-year-old made his big league debut two years ago and appeared in 72 games for the Royals in 2022 and 2023 before spending all of last season at their Triple-A Omaha affiliate.
The former 21st-round pick owns a career .201 average with one big league blast; he hit just .075 (4-for-53 in 28 games for the Royals in 2024. While in Omaha, he hit .252 with 16 homers, 30 doubles, and 60 RBI with a .738 OPS in 116 games.
Eaton is known for his defensive versatility and speed. The 5-foot-10, 200-pounder made 40 starts at third base, 32 starts in left field, 12 starts in center field, nine starts in right field, and two starts at second base for Omaha. When he was with the Royals, he saw time at third base and all three outfield spots.
As a rookie, Eaton ranked in the 100th percentile of all major leaguers in arm strength by averaging 98.1 mph on his throws. In addition, his sprint speed ranked in the 97th percentile at 29.6 feet per second in 2022 and in the 96th percentile at 29.5 feet per second in 2023, according to Baseball Savant.
Eaton is likely to begin next season with the Triple-A Worcester, and his skillset matches the likes of Jamie Westbrook, who is a free agent this offseason.
The addition of Zavala gives the Sox additional catching depth, particularly at the Triple-A level. The journeyman catcher received a minor league contract with an invite to spring training, according to the MLB transactions log.
Zavala, 31, is a veteran of five big-league seasons; he originally broke into the league with the White Sox back in 2019. The Windy City would host him for four seasons before the Diamondbacks claimed him off waivers last September. He played in seven games for Arizona before being part of the trade with the Mariners that sent third baseman Eugenio Suarez to the desert.
The veteran served as the backup to starter Cal Raleigh to begin the season. He slashed .154/.214/.282 with two doubles, one home run, two RBIs, four runs scored, three walks, and 16 strikeouts in 18 games (43 plate appearances) for the Mariners before being designated for assignment on June 18. Zavala cleared waivers and spent the remainder of the season with Triple-A Tacoma.
Known for his defense, Zavala ranked in the 87th percentile of all MLB catchers in blocks above average and the 77th percentile in framing, per Baseball Savant. This past season, he threw out three of 14 possible base stealers with Seattle and three of 32 possible base stealers with Tacoma.
The addition of Zavala offers the Red Sox catching depth at the upper levels. If top catching prospect Kyle Teel makes the big league roster out of camp, Zavala could platoon with Mickey Gasper and Nathan Hickey in Worcester.
