Alejandro Kirk

Position: C
Level: Rk
Affiliate: Bluefield Blue Jays
League: Appalachian League
Born: 11/06/1998 (Age: 25)
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 220
B/T: Right / Right
Acquired: Signed as international free agent September 27, 2016 (TOR)

Prospect Spotlight

The Blue Jays the Mexican catcher internationally in 2016 before his 18th birthday. After barely playing in 2017, Kirk torched the Appalachian League in 2018 (.354/.443/.558, 10 HR) while catching and playing DH. I saw Kirk play five games in July and August for Bluefield.

Kirk is listed at 5-foot-9 and 220 pounds, but he’s easily a good 15 pounds heavier than that. He moves well behind the plate despite this, a surprising athlete for a hefty body type. Kirk is an above-average receiver with quiet actions, soft hands, and advanced blocking ability. He throws well, recording numerous sub-1.90 pop times with a quick release. At the plate, his swing is aggressive but controlled and Kirk showed the best eye I saw this summer in the Appy League. As the power numbers would indicate, Kirk can really turn on a fastball with above-average raw power to the pull side. He has average hit/power upside.

The offensive potential at a valuable defensive position like catcher makes Kirk an intriguing prospect, though his conditioning and body type give reason to question how much projection remains. There’s always risk with catching prospects, especially ones younger than 20. A realistic future ceiling is an offensive-minded backup behind the plate.