Salvador Perez

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Perez played catcher almost exclusively for the first eleven years of his career before problems with his knees required him to spend time away from the position in favor of first base and designated hitter starting in 2023. From 2021 to 2025, Perez held the single-season MLB record for most home runs by a primary catcher with 48, until he was surpassed by the Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh. The mark is tied for the Royals' single season home run record (alongside Jorge Soler). He also holds the Royals' franchise record for career home runs (319), and is one of eight primary catchers in MLB history to hit 300 home runs. Internationally, Perez represents Venezuela. At the 2026 World Baseball Classic, he was captain of the team which won Venezuela's first WBC championship.

In Their Own Story

The 2014 American League Wild Card Game remains a defining moment of Perez's career. In the bottom of the 12th inning against the Oakland Athletics, he singled down the left field line to drive in the winning run in an 9–8 victory. The following year, his heroics peaked during the World Series. After grounding out for the tying run in the ninth inning of the clinching game, Perez singled to right with no outs in the 12th inning, allowing Jarrod Dyson to score the go-ahead run that sparked a 7–2 comeback win. He was unanimously named World Series MVP, becoming the first catcher to win since Pat Borders in 1992. In 2018, despite an MCL tear from carrying a suitcase up stairs, he returned to hit two grand slams, including one on his 28th birthday and another against the Minnesota Twins to break a tie. His offensive peak arrived in 2021; after signing a four-year extension, he broke Carlton Fisk's single-season home run record for catchers with 48, hitting two homers on the tenth anniversary of his debut.

Reader's Guide

Perez was born in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela. He was abandoned by his father at age four and raised by his mother, Yilda Díaz. When he was eight, they relocated to Valencia to live with Yilda's mother, Carmen de Díaz. Yilda supported the family by selling homemade cakes, flan, and lasagna. To keep her only child busy, Yilda enrolled him in a baseball school in Valencia, where he showed an ability to throw, catch, and hit balls as young as age six. He played pitcher and shortstop with teams competing in state and national tournaments. At age eight, he indicated his preference to play catcher, and, at 14, set his mind to playing catcher professionally. Perez played with and against current Major Leaguer and fellow Venezuelan Jose Altuve during his childhood. He signed with the Royals for $65,000 when he was 16 years old. His minor league career began in June 2007 with the Arizona Complex League Royals. In 2008 and 2009, Perez played for the Burlington Bees and Idaho Falls Chukars. In 2010, Perez was promoted to the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks and also played for the Surprise Rafters in the Arizona Fall League. In 2011, Perez was promoted again, starting the year with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals before playing 11 games for the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers in July and August. Perez was called up to the majors for the first time on August 10, 2011, and debuted against the Tampa Bay Rays. He picked off two baserunners and caught five popups, both uncommon occurrences for the Royals that season, and recorded his first MLB RBI in the 4th inning before getting his first hit in the 7th inning. On August 29, Perez hit his first major league home run off Max Scherzer of the Detroit Tigers. In that game, Perez was a triple away from hitting for the cycle. In his rookie year, he batted .331/.361/.473 with three home runs and 21 RBI in 39 games played. On February 27, 2012, Perez signed a five-year, $7 million extension that included three club options and placed him under team control through 2019. His earning potential was up to $26.75 million if he reached all of his incentives and all of his options were picked up. The extension covered his pre-arbitration seasons, two of his three arbitration-eligible years, and, if all of his options were exercised, his final arbitration year and his first two years of free agency. Perez earned $750,000 in 2012, $1 m

Did You Know?

• Perez held the single-season MLB record for most home runs by a primary catcher with 48 from 2021 to 2025, until surpassed by Cal Raleigh.
• He is one of eight primary catchers in MLB history to hit 300 home runs.
• Perez was named captain of the Venezuelan team that won the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
• He was abandoned by his father at age four and raised by his mother, who sold homemade cakes, flan, and lasagna.