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“HE GIVES PEOPLE HOPE’’
Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk provides hits and inspiration in the Barrio
By Jerry Crasnick
Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk approaches baseball and life with more of a blue collar than a red carpet mentality. But he still has a flair for working a rope line.
In August, members of the Tijuana, Mexico, Little League team traveled from Williamsport, Pa., to the Bronx for a Yankees-Blue Jays game. They were thrilled to get a pre-game audience with Kirk, who left his native Tijuana to sign his first professional contract with Toronto at age 17. Kirk posed for photos, signed baseball caps and exchanged pleasantries while the kids waited their turn, the air thick with reverence and anticipation.
“It was great to see those kids having fun and enjoying the moment in a big league stadium,’’ Kirk said. “It’s something I would have liked to do when I was that age. Seeing their emotions not just talking to me but the other big leaguers . . . it was a great experience.’’
The 2022 season has been filled with memorable experiences for Kirk. He made the American League All-Star team as a starter, caught the ceremonial first pitch from countryman Fernando Valenzuela at Dodger Stadium, and has played a central role on a playoff team in Toronto at age 23. Now comes the really fun part, when the Blue Jays take part in an American League wild card series starting Friday.
The numbers reflect Kirk’s impact. He leads all big-league catchers with a .286 batting average and ranks third with a .790 OPS. His most impressive stat is a tribute to his bat control, plate discipline and compact strike zone. In 539 plate appearances, he has 63 walks and 57 strikeouts. Among 130 qualifying big league hitters, only Minnesota’s Luis Arraez and Cleveland’s Steven Kwan strike out at a lower rate.
In Kirk’s case, the substance is hard to appreciate without a nod to the style. He checks every box in his appeal as a Baseball Everyman.
He is a favorite among teammates because he plays the game with dedication and professionalism. Toronto’s pitchers, in particular, appreciate his attention to detail and emotional investment in their success. He’s a role model for young players in his native Mexico, and an example to long shots everywhere for reasons that have more to do with perception than reality.
At 5-8, 245 pounds, Kirk is the quintessential outlier. The Jays signed him out of a Tijuana talent showcase for a $30,000 bonus in 2016, and now he’s batting cleanup between Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Matt Chapman in the Toronto lineup.
“I think he gives hope to the average person,’’ said Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah. “The kid who’s not 6-4 and 220. The kid that’s a little overweight. He kind of gives them hope, that as long as you work hard and you love the game and have a talent and you’re able to maximize it, that’s all that matters.
“There was a TikTok (recently) with somebody making fun of his size. The guy was like, ‘I can’t believe this guy is a major league baseball player.’ And (Kirk) was in the locker room kind of laughing about it. He was like, ‘I’m still here. I’m still working hard and doing good, so I don’t think any of that other stuff really matters.’ ’’
Kirk exudes humility and an all-business approach around the ballpark. During a recent interview at Fenway Park, he sat in the visiting dugout and answered questions in his native Spanish with the help of Blue Jays translator Hector Lebron. He wore a silver cross around his neck and a light blue T-shirt with the words “Body Build for Work’’ inscribed in white letters.
While media members resurrect the phrase “built like a fireplug’’ in his honor and fans marvel at his achievements, he embodies the idea that size isn’t everything.
“I never think about my height or my weight,’’ he said. “But if that can inspire a lot of kids, it would be awesome for them to keep working hard and accomplish their dreams.’’
His stocky build notwithstanding, Kirk is agile enough to rank third among MLB catchers in pitch framing, according to Baseball Savant. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him miss a block,’’ said Jays starter Ross Stripling. “He’s so good at the low ball because he's not big in stature.’’ Kirk also ranks a respectable 46th out of 83 MLB catchers in pop time, the amount of time that elapses from the moment the ball hits the catcher’s mitt until it reaches the intended fielder’s glove.
Beyond his baseball skills, Kirk has shown an ability to connect with teammates and navigate any potential barriers of language and culture. Jose Berrios and Yimi Garcia are the only fellow Spanish speakers on the Toronto pitching staff. But Kirk, whose grasp of English is a work in progress, has found a way to bridge the gap and assert himself as a leader. Once quiet in pitchers’ meetings, he now chimes in routinely with observations.
“(More important) than the language, you’ve got to have a great relationship with your pitching staff,’’ he said. “The trust has got to be there. I don't have to speak perfect English as long as we know everything we need to do regarding the game. The longer I work with them and we have that experience, there will be better communication.’’
The Hispanic influence is heavy in the Toronto clubhouse. Including players from Latin-American countries or those born in the U.S. or Canada with Hispanic roots, roughly 40 percent of the Blue Jays’ 25-man roster is Hispanic at any given time.
The Blue Jays refer to the dynamic as “The Barrio,’’ and its melting pot of inhabitants is celebrated with a navy blue blazer that hangs in the dugout each game. Complete a home run trot and you get to wear the jacket, which features the flags of more than 30 countries representing the birthplaces of Toronto players, coaches and organizational staffers. The jacket was conceived as an ode to Lebron, the team translator, but it’s come to symbolize the power of teammates from different backgrounds merging in pursuit of a common goal. Guerrero, Kirk and the other Hispanic players set the tone.
“It's a good mix, and they feed off each other, for sure,’’ Stripling said. “They hang out at the end of the dugout and they're fired up, and it’s cool to see. My parents comment all the time, like, ‘Man, those guys down there look like they're having a great time.’
“It’s something I’ll remember down the line. I really get a snapshot of their culture and the different brand of baseball they play. There’s more energy, and it’s kind of a louder version of baseball. That’s great. I think it comes out in some of the big innings we have and makes us fun to watch. I think it’s unique to us.’’
While Kirk is one of the more understated denizens of the Barrio, he has emerged as a fan favorite in Toronto and other locales. Tijuana Little Leaguers aren’t the only ones lining up to pose for selfies and revel in his regular guy appeal.
“Everybody that knows Kirk or knows of Kirk, they just love him,’’ Manoah said. “I think it comes back to how he gives people hope. He's not the perfect body type. He didn’t come from money or the best circumstances. There were a lot of obstacles in his way, and he’s a Major League All-Star. That speaks volumes. Nothing else really matters, other than how hard he works and what a great person he is.’’
He is the undersized, big-hearted striver who defied expectations and continues to surprise everyone but himself with his performance at baseball’s highest level. The folks back home in Mexico are especially proud of Alejandro Kirk’s achievements. But his story resonates in any language.