HOUSTON – Kansas City Royals catcher, Salvador Perez, unanimously won the Luis Aparicio Award, which is awarded annually to the most outstanding Venezuelan player of the Major League Baseball season in the United States.
The award was created in 2004 in honor of the only Venezuelan player to have a plaque in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame. Aparicio, a former shortstop who won nine Golden Gloves in 18 major league seasons, was elected to sports immortality in 1984.
In 2021, Pérez hit .273 and led the American League with 121 RBIs and 48 home runs. His home run total is a major league record for players who appeared in at least 75% of their games at position two.
Pérez, who received all the first-place votes from a jury made up of 100 voters, joins pitcher Johan Santana (2006), outfielder Magglio Ordóñez (2007), infielder Miguel Cabrera (2011, 2012, 2013) and the intermediate José Altuve on the list of those who achieved the distinction unanimously.
“First of all I want to thank God, because this has been a season of many satisfactions and blessings,” said Pérez, a seven-time All-Star with five Gold Gloves in 10 years with the Royals.
“I started working very early, in the vacation months, and the numbers came alone. I was able to start in another All-Star Game, break the home run record for a catcher, I was nominated for the Silver Bat, the Gold Glove, the Roberto Clemente Award, and having finished the season healthy has been a blessing. But obtaining the award that bears the name of the only Venezuelan in the Hall of Fame, Luis Aparicio … Wow! It is a true honor, “said Pérez.
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Salvador Pérez won the Luis Aparicio Award