From local hero to MLB reality: Valencia’s meeting with Perez in Kansas City

Detroit Tigers catcher Eduardo Valencia met his childhood idol, Kansas City Royals designated hitter Salvador Perez, during a Major League Baseball game at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday, 23 August 2026. The encounter occurred during a match that resulted in the Tigers’ fifth consecutive loss, but for Valencia, the personal connection transcended the scoreboard.

Both players hail from the city of Valencia in Venezuela, where they played for the same local youth team sponsored by Firestone. Valencia joined the squad several years after Perez, establishing a long-standing admiration for the veteran. Perez, now 36, serves as the captain for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic and continues to be a significant figure in the region’s baseball community.

Valencia has modelled his game on Perez, a practice that helped him counter doubts from others who suggested he was getting too large for the catching position. Standing at 6 feet 1 inch, Valencia used to study video clips of Perez, who is listed at 6 feet 2 inches, to prove that height was not a barrier to the role.

The connection extends beyond baseball mechanics. Valencia cited Perez’s personality and his treatment of others as primary reasons for his admiration. He described Perez as "so human," noting the veteran’s smiling demeanour and his consistent effort to assist pitchers.

Before the three-game series, Valencia reached out to Perez via social media, expressing a desire to purchase a jersey for him to sign. The gesture was motivated by family sentiment and their shared hometown. Valencia recalled a previous brief meeting with Perez when he was approximately 11 years old, during which they took a photograph that he is currently attempting to locate.

The meeting in Kansas City marked a culmination of years of observation and emulation for the young catcher, bridging the gap between a local baseball city in Venezuela and the professional stage in the United States.