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Salvador Pérez still remembers growing up in the coastal Venezuelan city of Valencia, where as a youngster he would take batting practice against his mother with a broomstick and later play organized ball with the likes of José Altuve.

He never thought a day like Sunday could be possible.

That's when the Royals gave the six-time All-Star catcher an $82 million, four-year deal — the richest in club history — that will begin after his current contract in 2022. The deal ties Pérez to the only organization for which he's played until at least 2025, though a club option worth $13.5 million could keep him around for that season, too.

“It's hard to believe where I'm coming from, where I grew up, to see the situation I have right now, it makes me feel super happy,” Pérez said from the Royals' spring training home in Surprise, Arizona. “My mother is going to be happy. I know my grandma is going to be happy. I know they're excited for me to be here for four more years, maybe five.”

Pérez is due a base salary of $13 million as he completes his current $52.5 million, five-year contract. He will make $18 million next season, $20 million each in 2023 and 2024, and $22 million in 2025, of which $2 million will be deferred without interest and payable on June 30, 2027. The deal includes a $2 million buyout of the 2026 club option.

The value of the new deal surpasses the $72 million four-year contract the Royals gave outfielder Alex Gordon in 2016.

“Nobody loves to play baseball more than Salvador Pérez. There are players that like it just as much but nobody loves it more,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “Nobody can imagine him not being here.”

Pérez, who turns 31 in May, has not only established himself as one of the game's premier catchers but...

Salvador Pérez still remembers growing up in the coastal Venezuelan city of Valencia, where as a youngster he would take batting practice against his mother with a broomstick and later play organized ball with the likes of José Altuve.

He never thought a day like Sunday could be possible.

That's when the Royals gave the six-time All-Star catcher a four-year, $82 million deal — the richest in club history — that will begin after his current contract in 2022. The deal ties Pérez to the only organization for which he's played until at least 2025, though a club option worth $13.5 million could keep him around for that season, too.

“It's hard to believe where I'm coming from, where I grew up, to see the situation I have right now, it makes me feel super happy,” Pérez said from the Royals' spring training home in Surprise, Arizona. “My mother is going to be happy. I know my grandma is going to be happy. I know they're excited for me to be here for four more years, maybe five.”

Pérez is due a base salary of $13 million as he completes his current contract. He will make $18 million next season, $20 million in 2023 and 2024, and $22 million in 2025 with a $2 million buyout for 2026.

The value of the new deal surpasses the four-year, $72 million contract the Royals gave outfielder Alex Gordon in 2016.

“Nobody loves to play baseball more than Salvador Pérez. There are players that like it just as much but nobody loves it more,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “Nobody can imagine him not being here.”

Pérez, who turns 31 in May, has not only established himself as one of the game's premier catchers but also one of the most beloved players in Royals history. He was World Series MVP in 2015, when the club broke its 30-year title drought, and is...