Catcher’s prospects look bright
Kirk could be a starter next season — even if he doesn’t make the cut for opening day
The Blue Jays made the playoffs in this unique year and are on the rise, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t questions heading into next season. This is the second in a five-part series on the decisions that lie ahead:
Alejandro Kirk arrived in the major leagues a lot faster than most people would have predicted, but just because the Blue Jays’ promising young catcher made his debut in 2020 does not mean he’s a lock to return at the start of next season.
There are several factors the Jays must consider when deciding what to do next with one of their top prospects.
Kirk’s development, service time and a crowded catcher position will all play roles in determining whether he begins the year in Toronto or somewhere in the minors.
The Star is taking a close look at some of the pressing roster questions the club will be faced with in 2021. Kirk’s role and whether he should be pencilled in for a spot in the opening day lineup ranks high on that list.
The answer is more complicated than determining whether he is talented enough to make the team; the portly backstop has already proven that he is. Instead, there are factors outside Kirk’s control that will hinder him the most. The only way around it is by making strides this winter and having a strong camp next spring to apply as much pressure as possible.
“I hope that he puts us in a position to make a very difficult decision,” Jays general manager Ross Atkins said this month. “He will need to do that with a very productive off-season. He needs to continue to progress as a catcher, he needs to continue to develop his English and leadership abilities.
“At the same time, we were very, very impressed and encouraged by his ingame intelligence. His in-game ability to adapt, adjust and communicate. His offence in 30 plate appearances was very good. It wasn’t just in the outcomes. His process was very, very mature.”
During an era when a lot of teams keep their top players in the minors longer than they should, to suppress salaries, it might seem hard to believe but Kirk’s development is the top priority here. Even though he was good enough to earn playing time for an organization that went to the postseason, it does not mean he’s ready to join the league full-time.
As Atkins noted, there is a language barrier that needs to be resolved to avoid confusion with his Englishspeaking pitchers. That happened several times in September, which led to team huddles on the mound. While
the issue was manageable, becoming more fluent in his second language will only help the Mexican catcher improve the working relationship with members of his staff.
Offensively, Kirk’s bat appears ready. The sample size is small, but he hit .375 (9-for-24) with one homer and three RBIs over parts of nine games for the Jays. Kirk didn’t have any trouble with big-league velocity and wasn’t intimidated in the box, often appearing relaxed as he worked deep counts. Long term, that’s what Toronto expects from a guy who hit .315 with a .918 OPS across three minor-league seasons.
It’s the work behind the plate that could use some improvement. Kirk was unable to throw out any of the four attempted base stealers he encountered this year. Some of the blame falls on the pitchers, but his mechanics also need to be refined. Like fellow catcher Reese McGuire, Kirk typically tries to throw runners out from his knees, and at least in September he didn’t appear to have enough arm strength to consistently pull that off.
Then there’s the body type that makes even Vladimir Guerrero Jr. appear slim. Kirk, whose frame brings back memories of the popular Dioner Navarro, would be wellserved to drop some weight over the winter. The extra baggage doesn’t appear to be impacting his athleticism too much just yet, but there will come a time when it does. The more he can do now to prepare, the better off he’ll be down the road.
The Jays have Kirk under club control for the next six years. They can extend that to seven by optioning him to the minors for at least a month. The demotion doesn’t have to be next year, but considering they have a starting catcher in Danny Jansen that they don’t want to give up on, and Kirk needs to play regularly somewhere, it’s also the time frame that makes the most sense.
Further complicating things is the number of catchers the Jays have on the 40-man roster. Jansen, Kirk and McGuire are the current three, but prospects Gabriel Moreno and Riley Adams will have to be added this off-season to guarantee protection from the Rule 5 draft.
Five is too many, which means the Jays will look to move at least one of them in the coming months. Unless that catcher is Jansen, it’s likely they will pick someone from that current group to back him up, instead of creating even more space for a low-cost veteran. McGuire or the 24year-old Adams seem best suited for that part-time role.
Kirk might be the future behind the plate for Toronto, but he still has a lot of work left to do. An additional month or two of seasoning, for a player who had never played above single-A prior to September, likely would be best for his development.
The 2021 campaign still could be the year Kirk takes over for good. It just doesn’t need to be at the start of the season. Jansen has only 181 big-league games under his belt and his upside merits another shot, before perhaps giving way to Kirk later in the year if things don’t work out.
The Jays have enough depth that Kirk’s promotion is one that doesn’t need to be rushed, even after a post-season when it made sense to do exactly that.