The following article appeared in the Topeka Capital-Journal on May 25 – you can read it by clicking here.
Throughout the Kansas City Royals’ youth movement of 2011 to 2013, the championship teams of 2014 and 2015, and now the current rebuild, one thing remained constant – elite play at the catcher spot.
Early on, Salvador Perez flew under the radar as the heralded group of prospects, including Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Danny Duffy, progressed through the minor leagues. But once they reached the majors, he exceeded them all. Perez has won five Gold Gloves, two Silver Slugger awards as the top hitter at his position, and played in six all-star games. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2015 World Series.
But as Robert Frost once wrote, nothing gold can stay, not even a Gold Glove catcher. Sooner or later (depending upon how the Royals handle his next contract negotiation), Perez will eventually have to be replaced. One of the biggest downfalls of the Royals organization has been its inability to backfill for stars like Hosmer, Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain when they inevitably moved on.
That void appeared to rear its head at catcher this spring when Perez was unexpectedly derailed by an arm injury. In lieu of handing the catching duties to backup Cam Gallagher or promoting a minor leaguer prematurely, they signed fellow Gold Glove winner Martin Maldonado as a one-year stand in for Perez. So the play at catcher in Kansas City continues at an elite level, but only on defense. Maldonado is no match for Perez with the bat.
Perez’ injury may be a signal that the end is near. He is expected back next season, but age and injuries will cause the Royals to think long and hard about extending his contract.
In the long run, replacing Perez may not be as difficult as one might fear. The Royals actually appear to have an enviable collection of prospects who may be ready to step in when the next opportunity arises. Of the organization’s top 30 prospects, three are catchers. At nearly every level of the minors, there is at least one, if not more, heralded receiver striving to eventually emerge from Perez’ imposing shadow.
“I spent a lot of time with them (in spring training) and got to watch them go about their business. They look pretty good,” Gallagher said about the minor leaguers who gathered in Surprise, Ariz. prior to the season.
Gallagher described catcher as a position that requires a studious and thoughtful approach.
“There’s a lot that goes into it and at each level that you go up, there’s more preparation that goes in,” said the 26-year-old backstop. “There’s more information available and the game planning becomes more detailed. You have got to do your homework in order to be ready.
“The main priority is behind the plate – handling the pitching staff, having a game plan, calling a good game. Those are the things that don’t show up in the box score. I feel like I’m just getting the hang of it.
“Development defensively just takes a lot of time. Up here, the bat is always a plus. If you get a catcher who can really catch and hit, he’s an All-Star.”
An All-Star like Perez. Topping the list of prospects to follow in Perez’ footsteps is MJ Melendez, the organization’s third rated prospect. Drafted in the second round in 2017, Melendez was recently ranked the seventh best catching prospect in all the minor leagues by MLB.com.
“I spent a little time with him this spring, and he’s got some off-the-charts tools,” Gallagher said. “He’s still maybe a little bit raw, but he’s going to be a really good player.”
Melendez’ development may take longer than prospect watchers initially hoped. Promoted to the high-A level this season, Melendez has flailed miserably at the plate. His progress will be slowed dramatically until he gets the problem rectified.
Recently making a huge jump in the eyes of talent evaluators was Melendez’ current teammate Sebastian Rivero. The 20-year-old native of Venezuela (which also produced Perez) is ranked 27th amongst Royals prospects, and is splitting the catching duties with Melendez at Wilmington.
“This spring I was most impressed with Rivero, honestly,” Gallagher said. “He went about his business the right way. I really respect the way he handled himself. He may not get quite the attention that some of the other guys do, but he came in and did really well. I think he’s going to be a really good player.”
Another defense-first catcher, Meibrys Viloria, has a jump on Melendez and Rivero in that he’s already donned the Royals’ uniform. When the Royals traded Drew Butera and needed a fill-in for Perez last season, they elevated Viloria all the way from A-ball to the big leagues. He played 10 games as a 21-year-old, gaining valuable insight into what it takes to play at the highest level. But when Perez went down in the spring, the Royals believed Viloria needed more seasoning in the minors, necessitating the signing of Maldonado.
The problem is, like Melendez, Rivero and Viloria have struggled mightily with the bat in 2019. None of the three merits a promotion midseason. In fact, of all the Royals’ minor league catchers, only the Omaha Storm Chasers’ Nick Dini is having a good season at the plate. But the 25-year-old Dini is not considered much of a prospect.
One dramatic twist could drastically change the outlook for the catcher position. Adley Rutschman, catcher at Oregon State, has long been considered the top prospect in the 2019 draft. So much so, major league teams were tempted to “Play Badly For Adley.”
The Royals hold the second pick and will watch anxiously the selection of the Baltimore Orioles at number one. Should the Orioles, for whatever reason, pass on Rutschman to draft other prospect, the Royals would be in a position to swoop in.
The Royals’ highly regarded collection of catchers need to get it going with the bat if they hope to someday adequately replace the great Salvador Perez. But if the Royals should have the chance to add Rutschman, they might just opt to greatly enhance their present collection of catchers.