Kansas City Royals: ESPN suggest Salvador Perez move to DH

In his most recent positional rankings, ESPN’s Buster Olney put Salvador Perez as the ninth best catcher, but suggested a move to DH might be possible.

There is no doubt that the most beloved member of the Kansas City Royals right now is All-Star catcher Salvador Perez. His infectious personality, combined with his quality play, makes him an easy fan favorite. However, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, Perez’s time behind home plate may not be for much longer.

In his most recent top ten position rankings, Buster Olney listed Salvador Perez as the ninth best catcher in Major League Baseball. While that will certainly draw the ire of many fans, it’s not that controversial. However, his reasoning for the ranking is absolutely going to turn some heads. Olney believes that Perez will soon be moving to the Designated Hitter spot.

Now, understand that Buster Olney does these rankings with the help of professional scouts and baseball executives. So whatever conclusion he is drawing isn’t just off the top of his head. Clearly there must be some other people in baseball who are thinking this. Truth be told, when you take a step back, it does actually make some sense.

The Royals Needs Are Many

Last season, Salvador Perez emerged as a major power bat for the Kansas City Royals. Perez saw an uptick in his slash line, while also hitting a career high in home runs. He was also second on the team in home runs, and third in RBIs. So from an offensive perspective, you definitely want him in the lineup on a day to day basis.

As for the Royals current DH, Brandon Moss was anything but impressive last year. Brought in to be another power hitter in the lineup, Moss struggled to make consistent contact with the ball, leading the team in strikeouts. There is no doubt that Kansas City could use an upgrade at that spot.

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Unfortunately, Kansas City doesn’t have an over-abundance of reliable catchers in the organization. Drew Butera is the top backup to Salvador Perez, but he’s not an everyday player. The Royals farm system has MJ Melendez, Chase Vallot, and Meibrys Viloria as the current top prospects, but none are close to a major league debut.

The Move Could Make Sense

Though the Kansas City Royals are not in a position to move Salvador Perez out of the catcher role, it is a move that still has some merit. The biggest issue for Perez right now is injury. He missed a number of games last year, and the Royals definitely missed his bat. That is not something that gets better with age.

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There is also the new trend in Major League Baseball towards smaller, more athletic catchers. Salvador Perez is a classic throwback to the position with his large frame. However, it’s that frame that works against him in terms of recovering from injuries as he gets older. Kansas City could certainly look to make a change to a smaller guy at catcher.

Whatever the Royals decide to do, the decision probably needs to be made relatively quickly. This is not a decision you want to make too late. Salvador Perez should be coming into the best years of his career right now. Kansas City would be wise to get the most out of this time and put Perez in a position where he can do the most for the team.

The Kansas City Royals offseason is still very much in a holding pattern right now. There is no doubt that this team is about to look very different over the next couple of years. However, Salvador Perez remains a stalwart of the organization. Hopefully that is something that continues into the future.