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Blue Jays 2026 40-man Roster Review: Alejandro Kirk rebounded in a big way in 2025
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Photo credit: © Nathan Ray Seebeck - Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jan 13, 2026, 21:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 13, 2026, 21:59 EST
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The 2025 season saw Alejandro Kirk put it all together for the Toronto Blue Jays.
This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual 40-man roster review ahead of the new season. If you missed the most recent article, we looked at Mason Fluharty. In this article, we’ll look at Alejandro Kirk.
Signed by the Blue Jays during the 2016 International Free Agency period, Kirk made his debut in 2020, and had a cup of tea in the big leagues in 2021, but spent a large chunk of the season on the 60-day injured list.
It wasn’t until the 2022 season where Kirk became a regular, and he had a terrific season with the bat, slashing .285/.372/.415 with 14 home runs in 541 plate appearances for a 129 wRC+ and 4.3 fWAR. He was an All-Star that year and won the American League Silver Slugger for the position.
The 2022 season was also the first season where Kirk had an above-average defensive season, finishing the year with 9 Defensive Runs Saved and 11 Fielding Run Value in 654 innings behind the plate. 
Kirk’s next two seasons were strong defensively, but left a little to be desired with the bat. In 2023, he had 17 DRS and 10 FRV in 775 innings behind the plate, and should’ve won the Gold Glove for the position. In 2024, he had 13 DRS and 17 FRV in 766 innings behind home plate, but didn’t even earn a nomination for the Gold Glove.
That said, Kirk wasn’t great with the bat. In 2023, he slashed .250/.334/.358 with eight home runs in 422 plate appearances for a 95 wRC+ and 2.3 fWAR. The following season, he slashed. 253/.319/.359 with five homers in 386 plate appearances for a 93 wRC+ and 2.8 fWAR. 
However, after Danny Jansen was traded before the 2024 trade deadline, Kirk slashed .288/.349/.418 with three home runs in 189 plate appearances for a 120 wRC+, giving optimism that he could return to his 2022 form.
And last season, Kirk did just that, putting everything together. With the bat, the 27-year-old catcher slashed .282/.348/.421 with 15 home runs in 506 plate appearances for a 116 wRC+. Behind the plate, Kirk had 9 DRS and 22 FRV, being nominated for the Gold Glove for the position, but once again being robbed.
That strong play continued into the postseason, as Kirk slashed .254/.349/.493 with five home runs in 132 plate appearances. Two of those home runs came in Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series against the New York Yankees, while also hitting a three-run blast in Game 3 of the World Series.
What’s important for Kirk is to continue to be productive with the bat moving forward, as we know his defence will be strong for the foreseeable future. Fangraphs’ Steamer projects he’ll have a good season, slashing .276/.354/.435 with 14 home runs in 443 plate appearances for a 122 wRC+.
That type of season will be huge for the Oilers, as Kirk enters his second season as the Blue Jays’ undisputed starting catcher.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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