The Boston Red Sox have reportedly agreed to a contract with catcher Roberto Perez, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. Perez has previously played for the Cleveland Guardians, Pittsburgh Pirates, and San Francisco Giants.

Perez's deal is reportedly a minor-league contract that includes an invite to spring training, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. His base salary will be $1.4 million at the MLB level.

Boston has question marks at catcher, and Perez could be given the chance to battle for consistent playing time. The Red Sox aren't signing Perez for his offensive prowess, as he owns a career slash line of .207/.298/.358, but rather for his superb defensive ability and confidence in handling a pitching staff.

Roberto Perez joins Red Sox

Roberto Perez in a Red Sox uniform.

Perez made his MLB debut in 2014 with Cleveland. He would ultimately become the team's everyday catcher, winning back-to-back Gold Gloves in 2019 and 2020. In 2016, Perez helped Cleveland reach the World Series before they were defeated by the Chicago Cubs.

Again, Perez was never much of an offensive threat. He did, however, blast 24 home runs during the '19 campaign.

His last season in Cleveland came in 2021. He joined the Pirates for the 2022 season before playing in 17 games for the Giants in 2023.

Perez won't be the Red Sox's final signing of MLB free agency. They are expected to pursue more star-power this offseason. Still, the signing of Perez could pay dividends down the road.

Red Sox's offseason plan

The Red Sox are rumored to be interested in adding pitching help. Although pitching seems to be their top priority, the Sox already upgraded their outfield by acquiring Tyler O'Neill from the St. Louis Cardinals in a trade.

This is a Red Sox team that did not meet their lofty expectations in 2023. Boston's offseason will go a long way toward determining how they will perform in 2024. The Sox already feature some star players but would benefit from making another big splash or two in free agency.