José Salvador Pérez Diaz, also known as “Salvy,” was born on May 10, 1990, in Caracas, Venezuela, and is now a catcher with the Kansas City Royals of the Major League Baseball (MLB).
When the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Mets in the 2015 World Series, he was awarded the World Series Most Valuable Player Award. Currently,
Pérez owns the record for most home runs as the main catcher in a season in Major League Baseball with 48, beating the previous record of 45 set by Johnny Bench in 1970.
Pérez was reared by his mother in Venezuela after his father abandoned him at the age of four. At the age of eight,
he stated that he preferred to play catcher, and at the age of 14, he decided to pursue a career in the sport. In his youth,
he had the opportunity to play against and with the current MLB second baseman José Altuve, a fellow Venezuelan.
When he was 16, the Royals paid Pérez $65,000 to join them. The years 2008 and 2009 were spent by Pérez playing for both the Burlington Royals and Idaho Falls Chukars.
On August 10, 2011, he made his major league debut against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field after being promoted to the big leagues.
How Much Does Salvador Perez Make?
Perez will be entitled to a basic salary of $13 million. For the next three seasons, he’ll earn $18 million; $20 million for each of the next two seasons; and $22 million for the following year, of which $2 million is deferred without interest and will be paid on June 30, 2027. A $2 million buyout of the 2026 club option is part of the contract.