The Royals announced a contract extension with longtime catcher Salvador Pérez that could keep the backstop in Kansas City through the 2026 season. The contract’s four guaranteed years will pay Pérez $18MM in 2022, $20MM apiece in 2023 and 2024, and $22MM in 2025. There is also a club option for the 2026 season that is valued at $13.5MM with a $2MM buyout. In total, the deal guarantees Pérez at least $82MM with the potential to max out at $93.5MM over five years if the option is exercised. Pérez is a client of Beverly Hills Sports Council.
The 30-year-old (31 in May) is a face of the franchise, having spent his entire professional career in the Royals’ organization. A workhorse behind the plate and an instrumental piece of Kansas City’s back-to-back pennant winners and 2015 World Series team, Pérez was set for free agency after the season, but now looks to have a shot at spending his entire career in Royals blue. He is also set to surpass ten years of service this season, locking in full no-trade protection as a player with ten years in MLB and the last five with one team (not that a trade ever looked likely).
Were he to play his entire career in Kansas City, Pérez would follow Alex Gordon as career-long Royals. Gordon’s four-year, $72MM deal from January 2016 previously stood as the largest investment in franchise history, Pérez’s extension now takes the title.
The backstop’s standing with the organization no doubt played a role in this extension, but Pérez isn’t being paid off mere nostalgia. He’s coming off the best offensive season of his career on a rate basis, having slashed .333/.353/.633 with eleven home runs over 156 plate appearances last year. Pérez won’t sustain a .345 batting average on balls in play or a .300 isolated power (slugging minus batting average), but he needn’t hit at that level to remain productive. Despite taking on a heavy workload behind the plate, Pérez hit .251/.285/.466 between 2017-18. He has some rather notable on-base deficiencies as a result of minuscule walk rates, but Pérez offers plenty of pop and has outhit most at the position.
Tommy John surgery sidelined Pérez for the entire 2019 season, but he didn’t show any ill effects last year. An eye condition led to a three-week IL stint but was never expected to be a long-term concern. Indeed, Pérez’s quality production at the plate offers reason for Royals’ brass to believe he has put those issues behind him.
Defensively, Pérez has long rated as a below-average pitch framer (although he was around average in last year’s small sample). He has helped offset some of his receiving issues with a plus arm, though, and the Kansas City brass obviously believes strongly in his leadership and softer skills behind the plate, having now reached agreements on three separate extensions with the backstop over the course of his career.
With this deal set to begin in 2022, the Royals’ payroll outlook for this season is unchanged. Pérez will make $14.2MM in 2021 under the terms of his previous extension. Kansas City’s long-term books are fairly clear. Before the Pérez extension, the Royals had just $29.75MM in guaranteed commitments next season (including buyouts of 2023 options). Two years from now, only the recently-extended Hunter Dozier joins him on the books.
Pérez had been the top catcher option scheduled to hit free agency next winter. Excluding players with club options that seem likely to be exercised, Travis d’Arnuad and Yadier Molina are now set to headline the class behind the dish.
Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star was first to report the $20.5MM average annual value (Twitter link). Alec Lewis of the Athletic first reported the existence of the club option and the deal’s specific terms (via Twitter).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
This is great for the Royals and Perez as well. This is an excellent move by the franchise to keep Perez in the organization.
Big if true
He’s over the hill.
Very few hills in KC
Unless you look in the phone book.
He had a heck of a year last year. He’s a very good fielding catcher who isn’t a terrible hitter. Signed only until he’s 34. Looks like a smart deal for KC. Actually, now that I look at the annual salaries… yikes!
He’s very close to JT Realmuto in age, especially when you account for Realmuto’s deal being 5 years, they’re going to reach FA at about the same age.
I think at 30 these guys are still in their prime. Towards the end of this deal could it start to get a little sketchy? Sure. That’s different than saying he’s over the hill now because he seemed to tear it up last year.
All true. But the bigger signal is that the Royals are showing some commitment. They will be more than a dark horse this summer.
With catchers, you want to look at innings caught and overall workload. Salvy has caught about 25% more innings than Realmuto, so more wear and tear on those knees. In both cases, their workload (both are workhorses) could come back to haunt them by the time they’re 32/33.
I will say, Perez’s lost season in 2019 and the shortened 2020 may turn out to be a blessing. Way less wear and tear over the last two seasons may help keep him physically healthier through the contract than if he had caught 260+ games over the past two years instead of only 30-something. Less wear and tear and lots of recovery time for his knees. I still think it’s high for a team like KC, especially signing it coming off of a year he’ll never repeat. He’s more 2018 with the bat than 2020. He has an established track record as to what type of hitter he is. 2020 is a bit of a UFO.
Salvy will be a 1B/DH by the end of this deal, anyway.
That bat won’t play at 1B/DH. It’s a horrific overpay if he moves off catcher. He’s basically a below replacement player at first base.
You didnt read the article did you? He is a below average catcher over his career.
Look at the numbers 2020 Silver Slugger and a clubhouse leader.
To think last year was anything other than a glorified Spring Training! I laugh when Dodgers fans actually think they won the World Series!
I can tell you haven’t watched one Royals game the last 5 years if you think that
Ozarks are at least an hour & a half away…
Hopefully S4 Ozark is out soon
Absolutely has blossomed as a hitter since coming back from his injury. The most dangerous hitting C in baseball right now. A monster at the plate. Tough to get out. I hate Small-market teams giving out big-money extension’s to players past prime, but this is different, in that sometimes you get the rare player that figures it out later in their career, and I believe this is one of those players.
He will be over the hill by the end of the contract for sure, but MLB needs more teams to keep their stars in one place. Fans don’t want to root for revolving doors and have to look up all the players by uniform number. Good for the Royals.
Wow! Great catcher, sad to see him not reach free agency
How is only 30 years old? He seems so much older. Good leader for the team.
One of those players that feels like they’ve been around forever even though they’re pretty young.
LMAO CONTRACT HOLY OVERPAY THE DUDES NOT A TOP 15 CATCHER
Such a likable player, great move for KC
The people that think Grandal is overpaid are going to blow a gasket with this one.
Grandal is overpaid. Salvy is a solid catcher so he’s earned this payday
@Pete Rose
Grandal is overpaid, but Salvy isn’t? You realize Salvy has a bigger contract, right? But, hey, if you say so.
The rest of us will be over here laughing.
Franchise cornerstone. Likely means he spends his entire career in KC.
Maybe a little overpriced the last couple years but that’s fine when a player has already contributed so much and the fans love him.
C’mon. Guy has a career 101 OPS+, which makes him at least average offensively, plays above average defense, pops HRs without being K-prone, and you never hear a bad word about him.
Excellent move, especially for an organization that seems to value on and off field contributions. Without Gordon, he becomes the face of the franchise.
Well said!
And for a catcher that’s above average.
He is well below average defensively for his career. Try reading the article next time.
5 gold gloves is not well below average.
Whew, risky at that age but he’s one of the best.
The Royals did right by one of their iconic players. It’s really that simple. Teams taking care of their own is something we’ve unfortunately gotten away from. May not be something most fans understand or appreciate it, but I bet players appreciate it.
Definitely helps an organization to have the reputation that it treats its own well.
Dude’s a top 5 catcher in the game and he deserves all of the money he got. Great job KC for locking up both Salvy and Hunter in one season. It’ll make the future way easier to navigate now that that’s out of the way.
Is this back pay for the sweetheart discount Perez signed before? Perez is a stud but I didn’t think the Royals would give him Gordon money. Perez’ work has earned this.
20 million a year? That’s the opposite of a hometown discount… yikes
His previous contract was.
Yeah, but almost no one does “hometown discounts” anymore.
DJL did with the Yankees.
Way more than I thought he’d get, but it’s not my money and I’m glad he’s gonna be in KC. Can’t wait for baseball season!
KC’s becoming the “feel-good” story in MLB this year, which is great, considering their loyal fanbase and (still) gorgeous park. Now if they keep Bobby Witt , they’re going to get their share of out-of-market eyeballs, including mine. I’ve watched a few of his games; darned if I know where he needs more development. And the kid is 20 going on 30 (I’m sure daddy helps).
They seem to be doing a nice job of collecting what we used to call “ballplayers”. Whit, Witt, Santana….good group.
Dayton Moore said 2 years ago that he planned to contend in 2021. We’ll see, but at least he set a positive goal for the team instead of poor mouthing.
Ummmm wow… That’s a overpay. 22 Million at 35 wow… What has he done the last couple of years? Did not play in 2019, he’s a top 10 catcher best. Wow Royals really opened up the books for an aging Catcher
Show me a multi-year free agent contract where you can’t say the player is overpaid in the last year of the deal.
Perhaps you’ve heard of Jason Heyward?!?
Heyward is a good comparison because that’s how Royal fans will view this deal when they are ready to contend again and are searching for $$ to put them over the hump.
Heyward is not a good comparison to Perez. Perez is the public face of the Royals. He is huge in the community and is the unquestioned leader in the clubhouse. The intangibles that we don’t consider because there are no metric stats for them. The Royals kept Alex Gordon for his whole career at no detriment to the team, Perez is no different
Way too much for Salvy
It’s going to be bad at the end but he’s already provided a lot of value to that organization. That money will be hard to look at though when they’re in their window to contend.
If he can keep catching 110 games he should be worth the money. As soon as he needs to move to mostly DH/1B it’s going to get ugly.
They have to believe they are going to get at least 3 more years of starting catcher out of him. I don’t think that’s going to work. If he’s only catching 80-90 games it’s an overpay.
Strong signal to a young team actually! You do your part you will be rewarded. The days of being a triple AAA mlb franchise is nolonger in KC. Catcher leading the pitching staff has a Royals World Series ring in the clubhouse! Slight overpay but money well spent.
Is it an overpay… probably for every team but KC. He is an icon and the heart and soul of that team. Plus he is still a top 10 catcher and will probably be top 20 at the end of the deal.
I like Salvy, and his 2020 numbers were obviously insane, but I can’t help but feel like this will be an albatross contract for the club in a few years. His defense will decline, his bat will slow, and he already has no plate discipline. Easy to see this one going bad.
Had he played on the East Coast they would of said he is already In The Hall of Fame. Would love to see the list of 15 these idiots say are better than him. Solid player from day one. Great to see he is appreciated by the organization. Very happy for him.
Anyone who thinks he’s getting overpaid should realize that the Royals are also investing in their young pitching. If you have a stalwart behind the plate it will help their pitchers tremendously. Great signing
Those people also don’t see the way fans and the Kansas City community as a whole love this man.
He and Patrick Mahomes are icons in the same vein for the city and mean so much more to the franchise and the community than just what’s on the back of their card.
Salvy’s bat will stay with him through the end of this contract so even if he can’t catch 100 games at the end of the contract, he’ll still be a valuable DH for them. A little expensive but well worth the investment for a franchise icon. More teams should do this with their star players.
I don’t think KC does this deal unless they’re confident he’ll be an everyday catcher for the duration. His bat doesn’t really play well as a DH as it is already; his value is in being a plus catcher.
His offensive numbers dont play at 1b or even DH really. He’s only considered average offensively because he plays catcher.
KC is a stand up organization
Glad they got this done. Is it a overpay, not to the royals. He will make them money on merch, tickets, apperances, etc.
Did the DH get taken away from the AL or something. This contract is ending right about when it should.
Royals have their own Yadier Molina with Salvy. Good they locked him up. Its nice to see players actually try to stay with one team
Sure, he may have on base issues, but at least he’s never had a season where he was below the Mendoza Line. Meanwhile my team’s catcher has done so 2 times in the last 3 seasons.
Kansas City is a class organization. Think about all of the undrafted free agents they signed last year because of the positive way the organization was sold (only the Yankees came close in signing guys). Perez is the kind of person who can represent the Royals in a good way for years to come.
Dude’s been a workhorse for so long you have to wonder when the knees are gonna go. Because of that I don’t think this is great for the Royals, but as an expression of loyalty to a player who’s given everything to the team it makes perfect sense.
Soler is a free agent after next season so if Perez’ knees start to give out he can get plenty of DH AB’s moving forward
If his knees begin to give out, he likely is not someone you want to DH. A league average, career 101 OPS+ through his peak 20s, and his last 5 full seasons (pre-202o) he’s put up OPS+’s of 91, 88, 91, 106 and 91.
As I wrote below, it’s great to see Perez get paid and it’s great to see a team like KC working to build a team that fans will like and simply trying to win and not hide behind tanking. Still, Perez has to catch for this deal to have value. Not enough bat to be a DH.
Soler will be the next extension announced, I predict before opening day. He ain’t goin nowhere..
Happy to see Perez get paid. There was criticism of the Royals for the initial below-market contract he signed when he was in his younger 20s. They’re making up for it on the other end of his career. That, however, might be the problem. Are the Royals doing themselves a disservice by locking Perez up into his mid-30s and paying him over $20M a season? Historically, catchers start to break down more in their 30s, and he’s never really been a great hitter. Overall, league average for his career, low walk totals, and has a tendency to wear down as the season progresses. The very short 2020 masked that, along with an unsustainable .375 BABiP. Also, as the article noted, not generally a strong pitch framer.
Some teams can more easily absorb a bad contract. Will the Royals be happy paying a catcher $20M+ if he reverts to his 2018 numbers, his last full season? .235/.274/.439 for a 91 OPS+, Much more likely that’s who Perez is, not his 2020 numbers.
All that aside, great deal for him, so all good. Just not sure it’s a good deal for the Royals.
Money only matters if it restricts their ability to sign others. If John Sherman is willing to eat it, then it’s irrelevant. He’s made it very clear that money isn’t going to stop them from competing. Doesn’t mean we’re going to be the Yankees or Dodgers, but I’m not worried about budget. He’s a franchise icon who will have his number retired and Moore and Sherman would be burned in effigy in Power & Light if they let Salvador Perez walk over $.
Also I think Whit, Salvy, Dozier and Carlos Santana are the only guaranteed contracts for 2022 so we’ve got some flexibility still. Hopefully Mondi, Soler and Keller are the next extensions.
Nice to see the Royals make this move. Perez is arguably the best catcher in baseball. KC needs to bag the ‘small market’ nonsense and run their team as a viable MLB franchise or let better business people handle their portfolio.
Honestly you can’t argue the Royals have been run the team on the cheap since 2006 (abso-f’n-lutely pre-2006!) Obviously we’re not handing out 9-figure deals, but this isn’t the Pirates. We’ve extended most of our best players and the Greinke trade was really the only time we’ve sold off a core piece for prospects (and that trade won us two pennants and a World Series). They ripped up Salvys comically team friendly extension and gave him a raise when they were under no obligation to do so. Also the were one of the only teams to not lay off any staff and pay all their minor leaguers during 2020 so hard to call them cheap. This was all before we got a new owner and a huge TV deal.
No where near top catcher in baseball, that’s just ridiculous.
I love Salvy, very happy for him
Might be an argument that is an overpay, but KC fans will love it. Salvy can never wear another uniform. It’s not acceptable. He’ll be a coach for the Royals when he’s done. I love it.
I’d love to see him be the catching coach
Similar situation to Molina is St Louis. The Royals will do whatever it takes to keep Perez around.
Salvy has one more World Series ring then J.T. Realmuto. Does Realmuto have any gold gloves?
One. In 2019
By one more you mean has one at all?
Perez is practically a Royals Hall Of Fame lock already. His merchandising alone is worth a couple million year in Kansas City.
It’s possible Perez hits the top five all time home runs for the Royals and comes in number two for them all time by end this deal. In a poll last March Perez received 88.9% of the votes as the best catcher in franchise history. (Not that that really matters) the point is that’s how highly the All-Star is respected in the Midwest.
Perez has been a lock on the Royals HOF since Nov 1, 2015. He’s moving into retired number territory.
Bad move. Royals aren’t in a position to contend, probably not anytime soon. Trade him and get multiple players with years of control. Doubt they’ll win the World Series anytime soon, nice to see them spend money, but probably not spent wisely.
Royals will surprise this year!
Wow can’t believe he’s only 30. Seems like he’s been around for a lot longer than that. Hopefully KC can put at least one more good team around him.
Is he really worth twice what McCann got?
Seems way overpriced.
McCann?
The dude who’s had less than 100 good games in MLB?
Yes. You bet your ass he is worth twice as much.
We shall see. I’d take McCann even at even $$.
Perez has put up less than 1 WAR 3 of his last 5 seasons. That’s a 20 million dollar guy, for 4 years, at age 30 (soon to be 31) as a catcher?
I don’t have a lot of faith in McCann.
He’s been a good hitter for a little over half of a season. I also don’t put much stock in framing numbers for one season. I firmly believe those stats – in particular – need to be viewed in blocks of 3 years. Which isn’t all that earth shattering of a take.
So it’s much more about the back of their baseball cards. But I would much prefer Perez.
Only if you’re dumb enough to pay for past performance.
Is McCann really worth half of what Perez got?
Only a catcher can go 5 consecutive seasons without an OBP over .300 and get a $20m per year extension.
Yeah. Catching is weird because ideally you want your catcher to be a decent hitter, but if you’re a really good hitting catcher they tend to move you to a different position.
Yes, its an overpay. By the end of the contract he’ll be mostly a first baseman/DH. His last contract was very team friendly though. The royals are keeping a team leader/ face of the franchise around as a sign of good will just like with Alex Gordon. I miss the days of players spending most if not their entire career with a club. Its hard to root for a player when you know they will leave for free agency in a few years.
He’s played on an undervalued contract for years over his career. He’s getting his due and it’s well deserved. Good to see the Royals step up and good to see Salvy getting a pay day!
This is a massive overpay. Especially for a catcher. Never would have sniffed a contract like this if he would have reached free agency.
This is a very rare thing in sports now a days. Perez signed his last extension, when he knew the Royals wouldn’t be good, for those years. Now the team has repaid his loyalty with a contract extension. Now I can see where people are saying this is an overpay. His ability to work with young pitchers, is something you can’t put in a stat. Pitch framing is almost as ridiculous as hard contact rate.
Perez (age: 30 years 316 days)
24.2 career WAR.
Career OPS+: 101 (bear in mind that the average OPS+ for catchers is in the high 70’s low 80’s.
2.1 WAR in ’20
McCann (age 30 years 282 days)
7.2 career WAR
Career OPS+: 86
1.2 WAR in ’20.
Uh-oh.
Now what @revolver?
Still sticking with “dumb”? Which if you do, I get bro. I’ve doubled down on a rather dubious take myself a time or two.
Great deal for them. I thought he was the perfect replacement for the Cardinals after Molina retires but oh well.