The club looks to build depth behind Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen heading into 2026.
The Kansas City Royals announced on Friday that they have signed veteran catcher Elias Diaz to a minor league contract with a non-roster invite to spring training, and the 35-year-old is expected to join big league camp next week.
Diaz has spent 11 seasons in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and San Diego Padres, and his experience could be valuable for a Kansas City team looking to bounce back in 2026.
A Proven Career Behind the Plate
The 35-year-old from Maracaibo, Venezuela first broke into the big leagues with the Pirates back in 2015 and spent parts of five seasons in Pittsburgh before signing with Colorado, where he posted a career-best 18 home runs in 2021 while slashing .246/.310/.464.
His crowning moment came during the 2023 All-Star Game, when he hit the go-ahead home run for the National League in the eighth inning and took home Most Valuable Player honors after a strong regular season with 14 home runs and 72 RBI.
Diaz spent the last season-plus with the Padres but struggled in 2025, hitting just .204/.270/.337 with nine home runs across 106 games, and his career numbers sit at a .247 average with 71 home runs over 2,800 plate appearances.
Why Kansas City Made the Move
On paper, the Royals do not have a glaring need at catcher since franchise icon Salvador Perez is still the starter and top prospect Carter Jensen is set to be the backup after slashing .300/.391/.550 with three home runs during his 2025 debut.
However, the move makes sense because Kansas City's catching depth has gotten thin this spring, as non-roster catcher Luke Maile was removed from the camp roster due to personal matters and Jorge Alfaro has yet to report because of visa issues ahead of the World Baseball Classic.
Diaz gives the Royals a reliable and experienced insurance policy behind the plate, and his above-average defensive profile makes him a solid fit as a potential third catcher if he earns a spot on the roster.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The Royals finished the 2025 season with an 82-80 record and missed the playoffs after making the postseason in 2024, and the front office has been busy this offseason trying to get back to October.
Kansas City traded for outfielder Isaac Collins, added bullpen arms like Matt Strahm and Nick Mears, and locked up third baseman Maikel Garcia to a five-year, $57.5 million extension.
Signing Diaz is not a headline-grabbing move, but it is the type of smart depth addition that contending teams need when heading into a season with real expectations.
If Perez stays healthy alongside Jensen, Diaz may never see the big league roster, but if something goes wrong behind the plate, Kansas City now has a veteran with 758 career games caught who is ready to step in.