Shawn Zarraga


Shawn Joubert Zarraga is an Aruban former professional baseball catcher. He played for the Netherlands national baseball team in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 and 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Career

Milwaukee Brewers

Zarraga was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 44th round of the 2007 MLB Draft out of Trinity Christian Academy in Lake Worth, Florida. He began with the Arizona League Brewers in 2008 and then split 2009 between the Helena Brewers and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. He was promoted to the Advanced-A Brevard County Manatees in 2010 and spent the next three seasons there before a 2013 promotion to the AA Huntsville Stars. In late 2014 he was promoted to the AAA Nashville Sounds.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On December 18, 2014, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for minor leaguers Jarret Martin and Matt Long. The Dodgers extended him an invitation to Major League spring training. Zarraga split 2015 between the AA Tulsa Drillers and AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers, hitting.286 in 62 games. In November 2015, he played for the Netherlands national baseball team in the WBSC Premier12.
The Dodgers purchased his contract from the minors and called him up to the majors on August 25, 2016. He returned to the minors the following day, without having appeared in a game. He was outrighted to the minors and removed from the 40-man roster on August 28. Zarraga's time on an MLB active roster, without ever appearing in an MLB game, makes him a "phantom ballplayer". He played in 46 games between Tulsa and Oklahoma City in 2016, hitting.256.

Cincinnati Reds

During the 2016 offseason, Zarraga signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds.

Cleburne Railroaders

On April 20, 2017, Zarraga signed with the Cleburne Railroaders of the American Association.

Second Stint with Dodgers

In 41 games, he hit.272 for Cleburne before he returned to the Dodgers organization at the end of the season and played in six more games for Tulsa. He was released on March 30, 2018.