A glance behind the plate reveals more than a thick mitt and a catcher's mask for Kansas City. Crouching down is the future of the Royals franchise, a defensive stalwart and the recipient of one of baseball's most team-friendly contracts.
But Sal Perez was also an overworked and fatigued backstop by the end of last season, playing 165 games between the regular season and postseason. This season figures to be different for the 24-year-old Venezuelan, who should be spelled more often in 2015 by backup Erik Kratz.
Here's a look at the Royals' catcher situation.
THE STARTER: Salvador Perez
Perez earned his second consecutive Gold Glove last season to go along with his second straight All-Star appearance. Perez's numbers dipped dramatically, though, in the second half of the season as he started at catcher for 60 of Kansas City's final 68 games. Because the Royals were fighting for both the division title and a wild-card berth, Perez's steady presence in the lineup seemed essential. But his production declined to a .229/.236/.360 slash line after posting a respectable .283/.329/.437 one prior to the All-Star break.
Throughout his offensive slump, Perez's defense stayed steady, and he is generally regarded as the best defensive catcher in the American League. Last year, Perez threw out 30 percent of would-be basestealers, above the major league average of 27 percent. His 25 caught stealings were the 13th most, while his catcher ERA (the ERA of pitchers when he was catching) of 3.24 was seventh best among catchers who caught at least 3,000 plate appearances.
Manager Ned Yost has talked about resting Perez more this season to save him from another second-half slide and to preserve the precious legs of a player entering his third full season in the majors. Perez is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $7 million deal with the Royals that gives Kansas City the option to bring him back every season through 2019. If the Royals choose to pick up Perez's club options from 2017-19, they would pay him $14.75 million.
Clearly, Perez is the future (and a relatively cheap one, too) for the Royals. But that doesn't mean his backup isn't important.
THE BACKUP: Erik Kratz
Kratz, acquired in July with Liam Hendriks for Danny Valencia, is the first man in line to pick up Perez's starts. The 34-year-old has limited playing time as a starter -- only 124 starts as a catcher in five big-league seasons with Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Toronto and Kansas City.
Despite his relative inexperience and lackluster offensive game (career .219/.273/.404 slash line), Kratz appears to be a lock to make the Royals' Opening Day roster. Kratz is out of options and would have to pass through waivers if he were not included on the active roster.
WHO'S NEXT? Francisco Pena, Cam Gallagher, Chase Vallot
Of the trio, Pena could be the only one to see the major leagues this season as Gallagher, 22, and Vallot, 18, continue to develop in the minors. Pena is already on the Royals' 40-man roster and made his major-league debut last May, when he caught one inning. If Kratz struggles to spell Perez effectively, Pena could become an appealing option; he's nearly a decade younger and wouldn't be arbitration-eligible until 2018.
Gallagher, a second-round pick in 2011, spent all of last season at high-A Wilmington and hit .228 with five home runs and 34 RBIs. He is a non-roster invitee this spring but has not appeared in a game yet.
After being drafted with the 40th overall pick last year, Vallot played 53 games of rookie ball with Burlington. Vallot flashed some power with seven home runs but struggled with strikeouts (81 in 186 at-bats).
You can follow Matthew DeFranks on Twitter at @MDeFranks or email him at matthew.defranks@gmail.com.
