Black MiLB Players #8: Zavier Warren
Zavier Warren is a versatile switch-hitter with a chance to be a very good and unique player. He has the defensive chops to be a catcher full-time, but has played at 1B & 3B frequently in his first year of professional baseball.
Background + Path to Professional Baseball
Zavier Warren is a twenty-two-year-old catcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization from Detroit, Michigan. He played high school baseball at Groves High School in Beverly Hills, Michigan, where he made the varsity baseball team all four years as the starting catcher that saw time at the other infield positions, winning All-District and All-State honors along the way. Prep Baseball Report had him as the best 19th high school prospect coming out of Michigan.
Milwaukee acquired Warren in the 3rd round(92nd overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Central Michigan University, where he was the full-time shortstop in addition to logging time at every other infield position including catcher for three years. During his college career Warren made a Rawlings All-America Third Team, First Team All-MAC, in addition to other accolades. Milwaukee gave him a $575,000 signing bonus when he signed his professional contract. Since the 2020 MiLB season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic Warren got reps with an independent ball club as a full-time catcher while being monitored by the Brewers catching coordinator.
In his first year of professional baseball Warren has played 57 games(202 PAs) between Low-A and High-A so far, showing a variety of skills on both sides of the ball that gives him a unique, wide-ranging skillset. A large majority of his PAs have took place in Low-A, so I will solely be using his Low-A stats for this article. In 53(191 PAs) games with the Milwaukee Low-A affiliate Warren had a .251/.374/.471 slashline, good for a 131 wRC+. Warren splitting time between first base, third base, and catcher is a testament to his versatiliy and prowess with the glove at multiple positions. Being a well above average hitter compared to his peers in the Low-A league he played in and showcasing the ability to separate his offense from his defense is a great intangible to see, especially if Warren is going to be a catcher in some capacity at the major league level.
Player Profile
Zavier Warren is 6'0'’, weighs 190 pounds, is a switch-hitter, and throws right-handed. He is primarily a catcher, but has also logged time at third base and first base and can play the middle infield positions adequately also. Warren has broad shoulders on a slim frame with wiry strength, built like a prototypical strong safety.
Warren has fluid, compact swings with average to above-average bat speed from both sides. He generates power with a wrist flick as he follows through, and he has an approach that focuses on going to the pull side and opposite field, as he does not go up the middle frequently. He has a great approach at the plate, putting up a 14% walk rate in 53 games at Low-A to go with a more than reasonable 21% strikeout rate.
He frequently makes hard contact, with his average exit velocity sitting at 96 miles per hour. He hits line drives 23% of the time, has a 40% groundball rate, and a 36% flyball rate. Warren also crowds the plate and is not afraid to get his, as he has been hit by seven pitches in the little over 200 PAs he has so far in his career. A .286 BABIP is a sign of bad luck, and the .220 ISO is very great to see from a switch-hitting catcher in his first stint of professional baseball.
Warren is an above-average catcher with the hands, athleticism, and intelligence to stick behind the plate. Even if he is not worthy of being a starting catcher, a backup catcher that can play every infield position at an average level and also swing the bat a bit is a very valuable player to have on a roster, as you have a player that can fulfill two valuable roles at a high level that can also potentially do damage in the batter’s box. He has an above-average arm and can throw from every arm slot imaginable, based on the fact that he can play all five infield positions and play them well.
