January 28, 2026

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been a mainstay at the backstop position for the past decade. In 2025, Perez turned in another strong campaign, posting a .236/.284/.446 line with 54 runs, 100 RBI, and 30 home runs. However, managers could expect an even more productive season from the 35-year-old backstop in 2026. Last summer, Perez generated a promising .357 xwOBA with a .269 xBA, suggesting he should see some significant positive regression, especially in the batting average category. His .357 xwOBA was right in line with the .361 xwOBA he posted the year prior, where he tallied a much higher .271 AVG. Perez continued to hit the ball hard, generating a 91st percentile barrel rate with an above-average 46.7% hard-hit rate. Perez also generated a stellar 26.6% pull-air rate, showing he still possesses the ability to hit a high total of home runs. More importantly, in 2025, Perez logged a high 38 games at the DH spot, which will likely increase in 2026, given the emergence of budding catcher Carter Jensen. By lowering his playing time as a catcher, Perez had a much better chance to stay healthy and remain a high-end contributor in the batter's box. Managers who choose to wait to select their catcher can select Perez at a discount at his current 92.7 ADP in NFBC drafts. ATC projects another strong season for Perez, hitting 27 long balls with 65 runs, 90 RBI, and an improved .251 AVG.--Andy Smith