The Astros are gearing up for Spring Training, and on their list of non-roster invitees are a pair of intriguing names: veteran catcher Carlos Perez and right-hander Amos Willingham. Both players signed minor league deals with Houston back in November, and now they’ll get a shot to compete for roster spots as camp opens.

Let’s start with Perez, who’s entering his age-35 season and looking to extend a big league career that’s taken him across much of the AL West. Astros fans might remember him best from his days with the Angels, where he logged the bulk of his MLB action – 184 games out of his 278 career appearances. He’s also had stints with the Rangers and Athletics, making him something of a well-traveled backstop in this division.

Perez’s most recent major league run came in 2023 with the A’s, when he appeared in 66 games. Before that, he hadn’t seen big league action since 2018, so that return was notable in itself.

He was non-tendered after the season, re-signed with Oakland on a minor league deal, then moved on to the Cubs last offseason. Neither of those deals led to time in the majors, but Perez has kept grinding.

At the plate, Perez hasn’t exactly lit up MLB pitching – he owns a career slash line of .218/.265/.327 over 859 plate appearances. But his Triple-A numbers tell a different story: a .279/.353/.505 line across more than 3,000 plate appearances. Of course, much of that came in the Pacific Coast League, where offense tends to get a boost, but it’s clear he can still swing the bat at that level.

The timing of Perez’s invite is interesting given the current state of Houston’s catching depth. Yainer Diaz is locked in as the starter, but the backup role is wide open now that Victor Caratini has signed with the Twins.

That leaves Cesar Salazar as the top in-house option, and Perez as the only other catcher in the organization with any meaningful MLB experience. General Manager Dana Brown has already said the team is still looking for additional help behind the plate, so it’s possible both Salazar and Perez could be fighting to stay on the depth chart depending on what moves the front office makes in the coming weeks.

As for Willingham, the 25-year-old right-hander is hoping to carve out a role in Houston’s bullpen after a brief and bumpy introduction to the majors. He made his MLB debut with the Nationals in 2023, logging 24 1/3 innings over 18 appearances. But in 2024, he saw just one inning of big league work before spending most of the year in the minors, dealing with injuries and trying to refine his game.

Willingham’s big league ERA sits at 7.11, but his Triple-A numbers offer a bit more promise: a 3.62 ERA with a 23% strikeout rate across 104 1/3 innings. The walk rate – 10.27% – is higher than you’d like, but there’s enough swing-and-miss in his game to warrant a closer look. He spent last season in the Braves organization but didn’t get a call-up, instead spending most of his time at the Double-A level.

One of the more notable developments for Willingham has been a change in his pitch mix. Previously a fastball-slider guy, he leaned heavily on his cutter in 2025, throwing it more than half the time.

His fastball, which averaged 94.4 mph, dropped to a 37.3% usage rate. That kind of shift suggests he’s actively trying to evolve his approach – and that’s something the Astros’ pitching development staff will likely be eager to explore further.

With a minor league option still in his back pocket, Willingham doesn’t need to break camp with the team to remain in the mix. But a strong showing in Spring Training could put him in position to be one of the first arms called upon if the Astros need bullpen reinforcements early in the season.

Bottom line: both Perez and Willingham are long shots to make the Opening Day roster, but they bring experience, upside, and in Perez’s case, a veteran presence behind the plate that could prove valuable in a young clubhouse. These are the kinds of low-risk, potentially useful depth moves that can pay off over the course of a 162-game grind – and the Astros are giving themselves options.