Kansas City Royals fans react to Salvador Perez being named fourth captain in team history: "Couldn't have picked a better person!"

The Kansas City Royals have named Salvador Perez captain, just the fourth time they have given the title out in franchise history. Perez has been with the team since 2011 and is the ideal leader for the team. He was a crucial part of their 2015 World Series Championship and is a seven-time All-Star. He is a quintessential star player with plenty of experience.

Perez being made captain on Opening Day ahead of what could be a competitive season is no coincidence. The Kansas City Royals have experienced a dramatic downturn since their World Series win (2015) that they are desperately trying to get out of. Perez is the perfect leader to help weather the storm and get the team, and franchise, back on course.

The Kansas City Royals shared a heartwarming video of Salvador Perez being named captain on Twitter.

Fans are overwhelmingly in favor of this move. In the minds of many, Salvador Perez was already the unofficial team captain. Seeing the organization agree and making the role official is a great way to honor him. The players seem to agree based on their reactions to the announcement.

Perez had a slight down year in 2022, hitting for a batting average of .254 and 23 home runs. The team is clearly hoping that last season was an aberration and he will be back to his old self sooner rather than later. If he is able to, the Royals will hopefully avoid another last-place finish in the division.

The American League Central is one of the more winnable divisions in MLB, but the Kansas City Royals weren't close in 2022. The Cleveland Guardians ran away with the crown, leaving the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins in their dust. The Royals weren't even on the same track, finishing 32 games below .500. With Perez as captain, they hope to do better than that this season.

Salvador Perez will lead the Royals into this season and next, an honor that fans could not be more happier with.

Is Kansas City Royals star Salvador Perez bound for the Hall of Fame?

Kansas City Royals v Chicago Cubs

Perez is one of the best Royals players of this generation, but the National Baseball Hall of Fame is incredibly exclusive. He has seven All-Star awards, five Gold Glove awards and four Silver Slugger awards. Those individual accolades paired with his World Series win make a compelling case.

The voters are notoriously tough to predict, but a few more good seasons could easily see Perez enshrined in the Hall of Fame.