RADIO
Salvador Perez 2022 Outlook: Lock for Elite Production at Thin Position
3 years agoKansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been one of the top backstops in the fantasy world for nearly a decade but he took his offensive game to a whole other level in 2021. Perez, whose previous career-high of 27 HR was considered excellent for a catcher, suddenly went on a year-long power binge and finished with 48 HR, tying Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the Major League lead. He also drove in 121 runs and scored 88 times - 17 more than the next closest catcher (Will Smith). The crazy part is that he should have put up even better numbers. Statcast shows his xHR (expected home runs) was 52 based on his 99th percentile Barrel rate. If his 2021 season looks like an outlier, it may not be. He had been increasing his Brl% for four straight seasons and every supporting metric shows that his counting stats were deserved. Perez may not reach quite the same heights but he is an asset that can't be ignored for long on draft day given the enormous advantage he provides at the worst offensive position. Perez shouldn't escape beyond the first 40 picks and can be considered a top-30 selection in two-catcher leagues.
