GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Royals catcher Salvador Perez, who will have Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, has a great resource to confide in right in his own clubhouse: bullpen coach Vance Wilson.

Wilson, a former Major League catcher, had not one, but two Tommy John surgeries when he was in the Tigers’ system in 2007 and '08. Those surgeries actually were back-to-back -- 12 months after his first TJ surgery, Wilson blew out the ulnar collateral ligament again and repeated the process.

“With me, I did not have a good rehab with the Tigers the first time,” Wilson said. “I don’t want to throw the Tigers under the bus, but they were going through sort of a transition with their rehab programs. But anyway, guys will tell you that it’s not the surgery that’s the issue, it’s the rehab.

“After rehabbing a little with Detroit after my second surgery, my contract was up, and I signed with the Royals, and it was just a whole new experience. [Trainers] Kyle Turner and Chris Delucia really know what they’re doing. They’re incredible. The whole process went so much better.”

Wilson said he will be available for Perez to lean on when and if the time is right.

“Trust the rehab process,” Wilson said. “To me, we’re one of the best rehab systems around because I’ve been through it. If I had the right rehab with the Tigers, I probably would have played another four or five years.

“The other advice I would give [Perez] is don’t talk to other players who’ve just went through it. What you’ll get from them is, ‘Oh, I had the worst experience of anyone.’ Everyone says that, but typically, everyone goes through the same process. It’s a 12-month process. That’s what it’s going to be.

“The truth is, you’re going to have good days and bad days. You’re going to think you blew it out again at some point because you’ll rip some scar tissue. But trust the rehab, and in 12 months, you’re going to be OK.”

It is certainly conceivable that Perez could be ready for Opening Day 2020. While the Royals' training staff allows at least 14 months for pitchers to return to the big leagues from TJ surgery, a catcher’s timeline could be sped up a month or two.

“I would say at 13 months [after the second surgery], I was ready to pretty much compete in the big leagues,” Wilson said. “Everyone is different, but the way Salvy works, and with our rehab process, I don’t see why that couldn’t happen.”