Salvador Pérez still plays a lot as a star catcher for the Kansas City Royals.
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However, having depth behind the plate is a good thing and the Royals added some on Friday.
The Royals announced they have signed catcher Elías Díaz to a minor league contract.
Díaz, 35, has played in 11 seasons in the MLB.
The Venezuela native began his career with parts of five seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He then spent five seasons with the Colorado Rockies. Last season he played for the San Diego Padres.
Díaz is hitting .247 for his career with 71 home runs and a .683 OPS.
His best season was 2023, when he was an All Star (and actually won the All-Star Game MVP). Díaz hit .267 with 14 home runs in 141 games that season.
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He also hit 18 home runs in just 106 games in 2021 for the Rockies.
In 2025 with the Padres, Díaz played in 106 games, hitting nine home runs and batting .204.
Behind Perez, 35, the Royals currently have only one other catcher on the 40-man roster, promising prospect Carter Jensen.
Diaz adds a different dimension if Kansas City wants to allow Jensen to develop further in the minor leagues.
The Royals have also brought in Luke Maile and Jorge Alfaro as veteran catching possibilities behind Perez, and one of them appears likely to stick around through Opening Day and beyond.