Jorge Zavala (minors)

Jorge Arturo Zavala Núñez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 200 lb.

• Born June 10, 1994 in Tegucigalpa Honduras

BR register page

Biographical Information

Jorge Zavala pitched in the minors and has been on the Honduran national team.

Zavala was signed by Atlanta Braves scout Luis Ortiz. He was the third Honduran-raised minor leaguer, following Mariano Gomez and Orlando Castro. He made his pro debut with the 2012 DSL Braves, going 2-1 with a save and a 3.07 ERA. He came stateside in 2013, posting a 1-3, 4.54 mark for the GCL Braves. He was superb in 2014 with a 0.68 ERA and .80 WHIP in 20 games between the GCL Braves (3-0, 7 Sv, 0.38 in 18 G) and Danville Braves (1 R in 2 1/3 IP). He led Braves farmhands in ERA, .90 ahead of Brandon Cunniff. He tied John Cornely, James Hoyt and Pete Perez for 7th in the Braves chain in saves and was third in the Gulf Coast League, three shy of co-leaders Trevor Hildenberger and Alex Palsha.

In 2015, he ended his US career despite turning in fine numbers for the Rome Braves (1-0, 4 Sv, 0.73 in 10 G) and Carolina Mudcats (1-0, Sv, 2.90 in 23 G), fanning 55 in 43 1/3 IP. He had gone 8-4 with 13 saves and a 2.84 ERA in 80 games in the minors, striking out 163 in 152 1/3 IP. He was a two-way player for Honduras in the 2017 Central American Games, with very different results. In his one mound appearance, he relieved Denis Díaz with two outs in the 4th against Costa Rica and shut them out over the next 5 1/3 IP, allowing only two hits and three walks while fanning three. Luis Matamoros succeeded him in the 10th as Honduras had tied it while he was shutting down Costa Rica. At the plate, though, he was 0 for 7 in the event. He was second in the round-robin in ERA; Gustavo Martínez was also at 0.00, with 2/3 more of an inning.

When Honduras finished second in the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games Central American Qualifier, he started at first base for them and did not pitch. He was 2 for 16 with a double, three walks and two RBI while handling 37 chances error-free. He turned an event-leading five double plays. During the 2023 Pan American Games Qualifier, he was listed as a P/IF but again was used strictly at first. He was 2 for 10 and handled 16 putouts without an error. Again batting cleanup, he had hits off Peru's Ken Ishihara and Panama's Luis Machuca. He tied Allan Inestroza, Walter Aguilar and Moises Mena for the team lead in hits as Honduras struggled to make contact.