Last week, Astros backup catcher Víctor Caratini signed with the Minnesota Twins. The former Astros player became a free agent at the end of the 2025 season and agreed to a two-year contract for $14 million.
In 2023, Caratini was brought in to back up Yainer Díaz, and that is what he has been doing for the last two seasons. Since Caratini is making his way up north, who will be replacing him behind the plate?
While there is nothing confirmed, there has been talk about César Salazar, currently on the Astros roster, being Caratini's replacement. That said, the Astros signed Carlos Pérez, 35, back in November. It was recently announced that the former Ranger is on their list of non-roster Spring Training invitees.
Between Salazar and Pérez, who has the better odds of claiming the new role?
Salazar, 29, has been with the Astros organization since being drafted in 2018. In the past three seasons, he has played in the big leagues, but Pérez, 35, has more career major league experience, which puts him in the running despite not playing regularly in recent seasons.
Either way, both are solid candidates for the job and have the credentials to back it up.
César Salazar made his major league debut on April 2, 2023, with the Houston Astros. Although he hasn’t had many opportunities at the big-league level, he has shown promise and discipline at the plate.
Salazar may not be a flashy option, but he checks several boxes the Astros value in a backup catcher. He is cost-controlled, knows the organization well, and has demonstrated discipline at the plate in limited opportunities.
Here is a look at what his numbers look like at the major league level, per MLB:
2025 Regular Season: AB: 13, R: 0, H: 3, HR: 0, RBI: 1, SB: 0, AVG: .231, OBP: .375, OPS: .606
Career Regular Season: AB: 56, R: 6, H: 13, HR: 0, RBI: 9, SB: 0, AVG: .232, OBP: .318, OPS: .586
Carlos Pérez made his major league debut on May 5, 2015, with the Houston Astros. While he hasn’t seen consistent playing time at the big-league level, he has shown his potential. He has demonstrated good plate discipline and defensive awareness in limited opportunities.
Here is a look at his major league numbers, per MLB:
Career Regular Season (through 2023): AB: 786, R: 64, H: 171, HR: 17, RBI: 78, SB: 4, AVG: .218, OBP: .265, OPS: .592
Neither may be starter-level, but both are more than adequate for a backup. The question is whether the Astros will prioritize major league experience or organizational familiarity.