Chicago Cubs Add Former A's Player

Jason Burke | Dec 23, 2024

Apr 30, 2023; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher Carlos Perez (44) before the start of the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images / Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs will be visiting the A's in their new (temporary) home in West Sacramento to begin the Athletics' inaugural homestand in their new digs in 2025. As of right now, it's unclear if they'll be bringing an old friend with them.

After trading for Kyle Tucker recently, the Cubs will be bringing a very familiar foe to greet the A's and maybe break in their new park. They've also taken him out of the division, which was a kind gesture in itself.

But the player in question is recent signee Carlos Pérez, who, according to him MLB.com player page, has signed a minor league deal with the Cubs and has been assigned to the Iowa branch.

Pérez will be entering his age 34 season and is likely seen as a depth option. Yet, in his time with the A's in 2023 he was a solid contributor for stretches of time, and was a great clubhouse presence. That was also his last year in the big leagues, having spent all of 2024 with the A's Triple-A Las Vegas affiliate. With Oakland, he batted .226 with a .293 OBP and six home runs in 189 plate appearances, good for an 83 wRC+ (100 is league average).

Last season he hit .260 with a .344 OBP and 27 home runs, good for a 114 wRC+, in 112 games. The power shouldn't be terribly surprising, given that he hit 31 home runs in back-to-back seasons with the Colorado Rockies Triple-A affiliate in 2021-22.

Pérez was originally signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2008, and was traded to the Houston Astros in the deal that sent Joe Musgrove from the Jays' system to Houston's. He would be flipped again a couple years later in the deal that sent Hank Conger to Houston, with Pérez and Nick Tropeano to the Los Angeles Angels.

It was that trade that led to his MLB debut in 2015 as a 24-year-old backstop. He got into 84 games with the Angels and hit .250 with a .299 OBP. He would continue to receive playing time with Los Angeles for the next two seasons, before he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for Ryan Schimpf. He played in all of eight games for Atlanta before he was designated for assignment in late April of 2018.

He was claimed by Texas, and with the Rangers he got into 20 games before a right ankle sprain landed him on the IL. That was the last time he'd reached the big leagues until 2023 with the Oakland A's.

Pérez actually signed with the A's after the 2019 campaign and was at the team's alternate site during the pandemic season. The reason he stuck around with the organization is because the coaching staff felt he made an impression.

While the stats haven't necessarily been there for him to be an everyday guy, he's a solid depth option for any club. His perseverance to continue playing baseball, even while spending the majority of his time in the minors the past six seasons tells you a little about his character. The fact that he keeps getting signed should also be an indicator that he is well liked within the clubhouse.

Even if he doesn't make it back to the big leagues in 2025, he can still have an impact while down on the farm.