Kansas City Royals: Will Salvador Perez be traded?

The rebuild is upon the Kansas City Royals. It seems that no veteran is safe as the youth movement advances onward. Could Salvador Perez be on the move too?

The Kansas City Royals are in an “out with the old, in with the new” mood. With talk of trading big name players like Mike Moustakas, and having already traded away Kelvin Herrara, is anyone safe?

Salvador Perez has been a staple in the Kansas City Royals lineup for a while, now. This season, he is hitting a mere .222 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI’s. Plus, there are good young catchers in the minor league system that with enough experience, could be next in line to take on the role.

Who could take his place?

Though MJ Melendez is still in Single A, he is the catching prospect to be most excited about. He’s hitting .255 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI’s with the Lexington Legends. Obviously, he wouldn’t be getting the call anytime soon, but the 19 year old is number four on MLB Pipeline’s list of top thirty Kansas City Royals prospects.

Will they trade him?

According to an article by Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star, the answer is no. His logic is that the Kansas City Royals have the potential to be competitive again by the 2020 season. In 2020, Perez will still be under contract, and he’ll only be 30 years old.

Plus, it’s always a good idea to keep a few veteran leaders in the time of a rebuild. They can act as mentors to help guide the new wave of players. With talk of trading away Whit Merrifield, Justin Grimm, and Mike Moustakas, there may not be many experienced players left. A rebuilding team needs experienced guys to teach and to lead.

Next: Should they close by committee?

Unless the Kansas City Royals completely change their minds before the trade deadline, Salvador Perez will put on a Royals uniform for at least a few more years.