The Toronto Blue Jays are preparing for the upcoming season, fully confident the current group can find similar success to what they achieved last year when they made their first trip to the World Series in 32 years.
While infielder Bo Bichette left for Queens in free agency, the Blue Jays front office was still active on the market, adding multiple elite arms to the pitching staff along with infielder Kazuma Okamoto from Japan.
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Optimism remains high, especially considering the core Toronto still has in place. One of the most important pieces of that core is catcher Alejandro Kirk, who is locked into a team‑friendly five‑year, $58 million extension signed last March.
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30)© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
(© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)
It is safe to say Kirk far outperforms his salary on both sides of the ball. He consistently grades out as one of the best framers in baseball, routinely stealing strikes for the pitching staff.
The 27‑year‑old also remains a force at the plate. Kirk owned a .282 batting average, .348 on-base percentage, .769 OPS, 15 home runs and 76 RBIs across 130 games in 2025.
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Kirk has reported to spring training and is in camp with the Blue Jays, but he will soon leave, as many MLB players will, to participate in the World Baseball Classic in March. Kirk will suit up for Team Mexico at the international tournament.
On Saturday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider shared an update on the plan for Kirk with his departure approaching. According to Hazel Mae of Sportsnet, Schneider still plans to give Kirk reps in spring training games before he takes off.
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This is significant because catchers typically carry one of the heaviest workloads in baseball, and balancing spring training duties with WBC preparation can be physically demanding.
Kirk’s importance to the organization is underscored by the fact that he has spent his entire six‑year career with the Blue Jays after debuting in 2020. He is a two‑time All‑Star and a Silver Slugger Award winner, and his development has been one of Toronto’s biggest internal success stories.
As he prepares for another full season and an international tournament, the Blue Jays will rely heavily on his durability, leadership and consistency behind the plate. If he stays healthy, Kirk should once again be one of the most valuable players on the roster.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.