Kansas City Royals’ Salvador Perez leads all qualified MLB catchers in this stat
Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez is known for his offensive prowess in the heart of the lineup. Perez is among the most powerful hitters in the American League. This season, he currently leads all primary catchers with 12 home runs.
However, there is another aspect of his game that deserves recognition.
Perez has improved defensively in terms of pitch framing. He also has elevated his fielding behind the plate. According to Baseball Reference, Perez is the lone qualified MLB catcher to make 30-plus starts without committing an error so far this season.
There are 23 catchers who have started at least 30 games. Perez has caught 320 2/3 innings across 38 starts and has posted strong numbers. He has 18 assists and just one passed ball.
In his career, Perez has won five Gold Gloves. He has committed just five errors as a catcher since the 2021 season. He also has two campaigns (2018, 2020) where he didn’t record an error at all.
“He’s just one of those guys where he’s been through so much that his veteran status — (which) he carries up to that All-Star caliber — is probably unmatched throughout the game,” Royals reliever Josh Staumont said.
Perez has continued to work on his game even at the age of 33.
This offseason, he focused on improving his framing to generate better results for the pitching staff. He altered his setup behind the plate and worked to induce more strikes. The improved technique has helped create more balance and help stop more baseballs in the dirt.
“I feel like as soon as we can put one knee down, it’s better for us,” Perez said. “You can move side to side and it’s easy to block from that position.”
According to Statcast, Perez has converted 55.6% of non-swing pitches at the top of the strike zone into called strikes. This number illustrates the likelihood that Perez can influence a strike on pitches that might have just missed the zone.
“His setup has been good as far as inducing strikes,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He’s been getting more in the middle of the plate and giving our guys more margin for error. All of those things have provided him a better chance to present the pitch.”
The Royals have noticed his improvement. Perez has worked with Royals bench coach Paul Hoover on the low pitch in the strike zone. Together, they have generated better results by getting more depth in his stance.
“I try to prepare myself every game and give everything I have out there to help my pitcher,” Perez said. “I want the pitcher to feel comfortable and throw that one pitch in the dirt because they know I’m going to block that pitch. It takes focus and good concentration on every pitch to try to do my best.”
Perez is putting together an All-Star worthy season. He was recently named the Royals Player of the Month and tied the franchise record for most home runs in May.
The last time he made the All-Star team and won a Gold Glove was in 2018. There is a chance he could replicate that success if he continues his strong play this season.
