Royals, Salvador Perez agree on extension

The Kansas City Royals have signed catcher Salvador Perez to a five-year contract extension.

After negotiating throughout the winter, the Royals and catcher Salvador Perez have reached an agreement on a five-year contract extension worth $52 million, according to Jon Heyman. The deal will keep Perez in blue and white until he is 31 years old and perhaps ready to move from behind the plate.

Perez is a good hitter and perhaps the best defensive catcher in the game alongside Yadier Molina. Perez has won three gold gloves from 2013-15 and been an All-Star in each of those seasons. He is also one of the most durable players in the league, catching in at least 138 games per season during that stretch.

At the dish, Perez has been one of the better hitters on the two-time defending American League champs. The 25-year-old is a career .279 hitter who launched 21 home runs last season with 70 RBI. He has hit double-digit home runs in each of the past four campaigns and has at least 70 RBI over the last three  years.

Perez also makes plenty of contact, never striking out 100 times in a season. With his ample skills both hitting and catching, Perez is still one of the best bargains in baseball for a team hoping to repeat as world champs.