KC Royals: Salvador Perez to become U.S. citizen at FanFest

The beloved KC Royals catcher will be present for fans to see at FanFest and will use this time to take his oath of allegiance to be a U.S. citizen.

It’s likely an understatement to say that KC Royals fans love their catcher Salvador Perez. Since becoming a part of the Royals at a young age, Salvy was on a path to become a huge part of the organization. What some weren’t expecting, maybe, was just a big of a part the catcher would play.

Salvy took some time to get going in the majors, hitting well, but not being utilized in as many games as one would like. In 2013, though, he finally caught his break. Salvy managed 138 games and received an All-Star nod, a gold glove and finished 22nd in MVP voting.

This was just the start of the catcher’s awards and recognition. To date, Salvy has won 5 gold gloves, 2 Silver Sluggers, and has been to the All-Star game 6 times. Not to mention, he’s only 28 years old.

Unfortunately, before the 2019 season, fans were upset to learn that Perez was injured and would have to undergo surgery. To make matters worse, he would miss the entirety of the season. The Royals found a replacement catcher and had some decent backups, but something was still missing.

Not only is Salvy a great catcher and all-around player, but he is the heart and soul of the team. One of the few remaining veterans from the World Series team, Salvy has a way with people and can always seem to get the team motivated when spirits are low.

Luckily, he will be back for the 2019 season and one can only hope he will be back in his old form. Fans might see a little more from back up catchers to get the season started, but one thing is for sure, the gold glove backstop will be there to keep fans moving and to provide a Salvy Splash in a big win.

Yesterday, the Royals made an announcement that adds to the list of accomplishments for Salvy during his time with the Royals. Earlier in the month, Perez took the citizenship exam and passed. In Salvy fashion, he will share his accomplishments with Royals fans and will take the oath of allegiance at Royals FanFest on the Main Stage.

The Royals released the following statement:

https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1220110057632927748

What a great accomplishment for the accomplished catcher. This ceremony should be a great time for fans attending FanFest, but also a great reminder of how much Salvy means to Kansas City, and how much Kansas City means to Salvy.

Congratulations to Salvador Perez. We look forward to seeing you back behind the plate in 2020 and smashing some dingers into the stands.