Toronto Blue Jays: Is it time to call up Alejandro Kirk?

With the recent struggles of Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire, should the Blue Jays consider calling up Alejandro Kirk?

Alejandro Kirk is already a fan favourite for many Blue Jays fans. A catcher listed at 5’8” with a 265-pound frame, it’s easy to fall in love watching Kirk barrel baseballs and run the bases at full speed.

With the recent addition of Kirk to the Taxi squad, combined with the struggles of Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire, it’s even easier to wonder if the front office should call up Kirk. However, would this be the right time for Kirk to make his MLB debut?

Pro – A potential hitting upgrade at the catcher position

It’s no secret that Kirk’s best tool is his hitting abilities. In three minor league seasons thus far, Kirk has a .315/.418/.500 batting line to go along with a stellar 89/60 BB/K ratio. He’s a hitter that can control the strike zone and consistently make hard contact.

Furthermore, the Blue Jays’ catching tandem of Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire have struggled mightily at the plate in 2020. Both catchers have an OPS below .600 and there have been little signs of improvement.

Though the catcher position has traditionally never been a major source of offence in baseball, the Blue Jays have to consider ways to improve their lineup if they want to seriously be a postseason contender.

Con – Introducing a new catcher to the pitching staff in the middle of the season

One of the biggest reasons behind the Blue Jays’ success in 2020 is the consistency of the pitching staff. While their production at the plate has left something to be desired, both Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire have done an excellent job calling games and becoming familiar with the new Blue Jays pitchers.

Bringing in Kirk in the middle of the season could risk disrupting the positive rhythm that the pitchers have right now. Given the Blue Jays’ (over)reliance on the pitching staff this season, perhaps the best course of action is to keep things as is.

More from Jays Journal

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King

Pro/Con – What is best for Alejandro Kirk’s development?

With the large amount of “hype” surrounding Alejandro Kirk, it’s easy to forget he’s just a 21-year-old prospect that hasn’t played above A-level baseball. It’s impossible to know just how highly the front office rates Kirk, but he has a real chance to become the everyday catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.

There’s been many cases of prospects making their MLB debuts too early in their careers which ends up hurting them in the long-term. The Blue Jays have to be careful that the same thing does not happen to Kirk.

Similar to the debates that surround the potential call-ups of many highly-rated MLB prospects, there’s no definite answer to calling up Alejandro Kirk. One thing’s for sure though, when Kirk eventually does make his MLB debut, many Blue Jays fans will fall in love watching him play the game of baseball.