Salvador Johan Perez Diaz (born May 10, 1990), nicknamed "El Niño" and "Salvy", is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball catcher, designated hitter, and first baseman for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is a nine-time MLB All-Star, five-time Gold Glove Award winner, five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, three-time All-MLB selection, Roberto Clemente Award winner, and received the World Series Most Valuable Player Award when the Royals won the 2015 World Series. Perez has played his entire career with the Royals, and was named the team's captain in 2023.
Perez played catcher almost exclusively for the first eleven years of his career before problems with his knees required him to spend time away from the position in favor of first base and designated hitter starting in 2023.
From 2021 to 2025, Perez held the single-season MLB record for most home runs by a primary catcher with 48, until he was surpassed by the Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh. The mark is tied for the Royals' single season home run record (alongside Jorge Soler). He also holds the Royals' franchise record for career home runs (319), and is one of eight primary catchers in MLB history to hit 300 home runs.
Internationally, Perez represents Venezuela. At the 2026 World Baseball Classic, he was captain of the team which won Venezuela's first WBC championship.
Perez was born in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela. He was abandoned by his father at age four and raised by his mother, Yilda Díaz. When he was eight, they relocated to Valencia to live with Yilda's mother, Carmen de Díaz. Yilda supported the family by selling homemade cakes, flan, and lasagna.
To keep her only child busy, Yilda enrolled him in a baseball school in Valencia, where he showed an ability to throw, catch, and hit balls as young as age six. He played pitcher and shortstop with teams competing in state and national tournaments. At age eight, he indicated his preference to play catcher, and, at 14, set his mind to playing catcher professionally. Perez played with and against current Major Leaguer and fellow Venezuelan Jose Altuve during his childhood.
Perez signed with the Royals for $65,000 when he was 16 years old. His minor league career began in June 2007 with the Arizona Complex League Royals. In 2008 and 2009, Perez played for the Burlington Bees and Idaho Falls Chukars. In 2010, Perez was promoted to the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks and also played for the Surprise Rafters in the Arizona Fall League. In 2011, Perez was promoted again, starting the year with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals before playing 11 games for the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers in July and August.
Perez was called up to the majors for the first time on August 10, 2011, and debuted against the Tampa Bay Rays. He picked off two baserunners and caught five popups, both uncommon occurrences for the Royals that season, and recorded his first MLB RBI in the 4th inning before getting his first hit in the 7th inning. On August 29, Perez hit his first major league home run off Max Scherzer of the Detroit Tigers. In that game, Perez was a triple away from hitting for the cycle. In his rookie year, he batted .331/.361/.473 with three home runs and 21 RBI in 39 games played.
On February 27, Perez signed a five-year, $7 million extension that included three club options and placed him under team control through 2019. His earning potential was up to $26.75 million if he reached all of his incentives and all of his options were picked up. The extension covered his pre-arbitration seasons, two of his three arbitration-eligible years, and, if all of his options were exercised, his final arbitration year and his first two years of free agency. Perez earned $750,000 in 2012, $1 million in 2013, $1.5 million in 2014, $1.75 million in 2015 and $2 million in 2016. His options were $3.75 million in 2017, $5 million in 2018 and $6 million in 2019. His team-friendly contract ultimately lasted until he signed another extension in 2016.
While catching a bullpen session before a spring training game in 2012, Perez tore the meniscus in his left knee. He did not return until July 2. In the 2012 season, he hit .301/.328/.471 with 11 homers and 39 RBIs in 79 games played.
On July 16, Perez caught Mariano Rivera in Rivera's final All-Star Game before retirement. After the season, Perez was awarded the American League Gold Glove Award for his catching defense. He finished the year playing 138 games with a .292/.323/.433 average, 13 home runs, and 79 RBI.
In 2014, Perez started 143 games, more than any other major league catcher. Perez played in 150 games in 2014, batting .260/.289/.403 with 28 doubles, 17 home runs, and 70 RBI.
In the 2014 American League Wild Card Game, Perez singled down the left field line in the bottom of the 12th inning, driving in the winning run as the Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 9–8.
In Game 1 of the 2014 World Series against the San Francisco Giants, Perez hit a home run off eventual series MVP Madison Bumgarner, representing the only run Bumgarner surrendered in five World Series appearances covering 36 innings. Perez was the final out of the series, popping out to Pablo Sandoval in foul territory to clinch the series for the Giants.
In 2015, Perez was voted to start in the 2015 All-Star Game, his third All-Star appearance. In the regular season, he played in 142 games while batting .260/.280/.426 with 21 home runs and 71 runs batted in. He also won his third consecutive Gold Glove Award.
Perez batted .364 in the 2015 World Series, which the Royals won in five games. In the Series-clinching win, Perez grounded to third in the ninth inning allowing the tying run in the Royals' comeback. The game continued into extra innings. In the 12th, Perez singled to right with no outs and Jarrod Dyson pinch ran for Perez. Dyson would eventually score, giving the Royals their first lead of the night. The Royals won 7–2 in the 12th inning, making them the 2015 World Series Champions. Perez was unanimously named the World Series Most Valuable Player. He is the first catcher to win the award since Pat Borders in 1992 and the second Venezuelan to win MVP, following Sandoval in 2010.
On March 1, Perez signed a five-year extension to remain with the team through the 2021 season. Perez was named to his fifth consecutive All-Star Game as the starting catcher for the American League along with teammate Eric Hosmer. Perez would finish the 2016 season batting .247/.288/.438, hitting 22 home runs (more than any other American League catcher) and driving in 64 runs en route to his first career Silver Slugger award. He saw 3.43 pitches per plate appearance, tied for the lowest in the major leagues. He won his fourth consecutive Gold Glove award.
Perez hit his first career grand slam on June 21, helping the Royals to a 6-4 come-from-behind win against the Boston Red Sox. On August 6, Perez was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to an intercostal strain. He played 139 games in 2017, batting .268/.297/.495 with 27 home runs and 80 RBI.