KC Royals may be exploring options at catcher behind veteran Sal Perez and MJ Melendez
Change has been the buzzword surrounding the Kansas City Royals for the past month. New leadership in the front office has paved the way for new leadership in the manager’s office.
But the club’s on-field leadership still starts with one person: star catcher and organizational cornerstone Salvador Perez.
The seven-time All-Star, five-time Gold Glove winner and four-time Silver Slugger honoree remains entrenched as the club’s starting backstop and heart of the batting order.
Though the catcher position saw significant change in 2022, it’s also one area in which the Royals will have decisions to make this offseason. With Cam Gallagher traded away and MJ Melendez now the incumbent as the club’s everyday left fielder, who backs up Perez next season?.
Perez was limited to 114 games in 2022 by a thumb injury that ultimately required surgery. But he still led the team with 23 home runs, and his 76 RBIs were second-most. He also had the fifth-best batting average in the American League with runners in scoring position (.337).
Perez reached the 20-homer plateau for the sixth time in his career, tying Mike Sweeney for the second-most 20-home run seasons in club history.
The 32-year-old former World Series MVP still has three more seasons, plus an option year, remaining on the contract extension he signed before his record-setting 2021 season. He also carries a salary of $20 million in 2023 and 2024 and $22 million in 2025 before that option year could potentially kick in.
As a player with 10-and-5 rights, Perez would have final say on any potential trade. But the Royals aren’t looking to deal their centerpiece. They’re building a young core around him.
As a group, Royals’ catchers rated last in the majors in catcher-framing runs and strike rate, per MLB Statcast data. FanGraphs.com also put the Royals’ catchers at the bottom of the majors in defensive runs saved, as well as framing.
Melendez could continue to be the Royals’ part-time backup catcher and full-time left fielder, though that approach might keep him from reaching his potential, especially defensively, at either spot.
With Melendez and Perez regularly in the lineup at the same time as Melendez moved between left field, catcher and designated hitter, and Perez playing catcher or DH, the Royals typically carried a third catcher. MLB rules limiting the number of pitchers clubs can carry also point to KC continuing to roster a third catcher.
If Melendez remains the everyday left fielder, that third catcher could make one or two starts per week to spell Perez. The Royals could see internal options, such as Sebastian Rivero or Freddy Fermin, as candidates to fill that role.
They could also explore acquiring a backup catcher in the mold of Gallagher — a capable backup and highly rated pitch-framer in limited playing time. If Rivero isn’t the choice, the Royals must make a decision about his place on the 40-man roster, possibly exposing him to being snatched up by another organization.
Rivero and Gallagher had similar pitch-framing metrics this past season in limited opportunities. Each broke even with zero catcher-framing runs, while Melendez and Perez were both negative. Gallagher’s strike rate (45.9%) and Rivero’s strike rate (44.8%) were also higher than that of both Perez (42.9%) and Melendez (41.7%).
How the Royals approach the backup catcher spot is an intriguing situation to watch this offseason.
The Royals’ catchers
Start of the season: Salvador Perez (11th year) and Cam Gallagher (sixth year). Royals traded Gallagher to San Diego, and the Baltimore Orioles later claimed Gallagher off waivers.
End of the season: Salvador Perez (11th year), MJ Melendez (1st year) and Sebastian Rivero (second year, 17 career games entering 2022).
Playing time breakdown: Salvador Perez, 77 games, 74 starts, 621 2/3 innings; MJ Melendez, 78 games, 65 starts, 578 1/3 innings; Cam Gallagher, 18 games, 14 starts, 124 innings; Sebastian Rivero, 17 games, 7 starts, 73 innings; Freddy Fermin, 3 games, 2 starts, 19 innings.
Royals 2022 catcher production: .231/.297/.414 slashline, 41 HRs, 109 runs, 144 RBIs, 0.0 WARf , 124 weighted runs created, -24 defensive runs saved, -27.7 fangraphs pitch framing.
This story was originally published October 19, 2022 at 11:13 AM.
