The Cubs have signed veteran catcher Carlos Pérez to a minor league deal, according to the transactions tracker on Pérez’s MLB.com profile page. The deal presumably includes an invite to MLB Spring Training.
Pérez, 34, should not be confused with his younger brother and fellow catcher Carlos Pérez, who is currently a free agent but played parts of two MLB seasons with the White Sox. The elder Pérez signed with the Blue Jays out of Venezuela before making his pro debut in 2008 and has spent parts of five seasons in the majors since then. A well-regarded defensive catcher, Pérez made his big league debut with the Angels back in 2015 but slashed just .224/.267/.332 (64 wRC+) in 595 plate appearances across 184 games and three seasons in Anaheim. Pérez split the 2018 season between the Braves and Rangers but made it into just 28 games while posting a ghastly -4 wRC+ in 75 trips to the plate.
After that lackluster showing in 2018, Pérez shuffled between the Orioles, A’s, and Rockies systems over the years before finally resurfacing in the majors last year at the age of 32. The 2023 campaign was arguably the best of Pérez’s career as he served as Oakland’s primary backup behind Shea Langeliers. His .226/.293/.357 slash line in 68 games for the A’s was well below league average (83 wRC+) overall but roughly on par with the expectations associated with a typical big league backup. Pérez returned to the A’s on a minor league deal last winter but did not ultimately crack the club’s big league roster this year despite hitting quite well at Triple-A. In 112 games with the club’s Las Vegas affiliate, Pérez slashed a strong .260/.344/.544 with 27 homers and 27 doubles. Those numbers are inflated by the offense-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League, but even when adjusted for that environment are still good for a 114 wRC+ at the level.
Pérez elected minor league free agency last month in search of greener pastures, which he seems to have found in Chicago. The Cubs appear mostly set at the big league level with a catching tandem of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya, but it’s possible that Pérez could be the next man up in the event of an injury, earning a big league opportunity similar to the ones Christian Bethancourt and Tomás Nido got with the club last year. From Chicago’s perspective, meanwhile, Pérez offers a non-roster depth option behind the plate who can also serve as a mentor to young pitchers at the Triple-A level like Cade Horton as well as the club’s top catching prospect, Moisés Ballesteros. Ballesteros reached Triple-A at just 20 years old last year on the power of his exciting bat, but his defensive skills are questionable and it’s not yet clear whether he’ll be able to stick behind the plate in the majors.
