Alejandro Kirk

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #5 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 70. Power: 50. Run: 20. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50.
  Track Record: It’s easy to overlook Kirk because of his squatty body type, but his track record of hitting continues to sparkle. Signed out of Mexico in 2016, Kirk reached high Class A in 2019 and spent most of 2020 at the alternate training site. He made the jump to Toronto in September and earned regular playing time down the stretch in the Blue Jays’ playoff push.
  
  Scouting Report: Built like a shorter Pablo Sandoval, Kirk matches Sandoval’s innate ability to barrel the baseball. He has short arms, a short swing and makes frequent contact, striking out just 10% of the time in 2019 and showing the bat control that translated in his brief big league callup. He has a small strike zone and stays disciplined within it, tracking pitches to drive fastballs and breaking pitches to all fields, especially fastballs at the top of the zone. He has average raw power that he accesses in games because of his ability to consistently find the sweet spot. Kirk’s detractors worry about his body and question his defensive skills behind the plate, while others think he receives well, does a solid job with blocking and works well with his pitchers. He has an average arm.
  
  The Future: Kirk made a big jump to the majors at the end of the season, so more minor league time would be reasonable. Still, his performance catapulted him into the 2021 big league picture.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #4 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Kirk out of Mexico in 2016, but he only played one game the next year due to a hand injury. Since then, Kirk has raked, even after a promotion to high Class A in May.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The first thing that jumps out is Kirk's body, like a shorter version of Pablo Sandoval, which is an immediate turnoff for many scouts. But Kirk is also one of the best pure hitters in the minors. He has short arms, a compact swing and outstanding bat control. His tight stroke, bat speed and ability to track pitches helps him let the ball travel deep before deciding to swing. Kirk shows a sharp eye for the strike zone and has drawn more walks than strikeouts at every level. He struck out just 10 percent of the time in 2019, barreling good fastballs and offspeed pitches in all quadrants of the zone. Kirk has a hit-over-power profile, though there's more impact potential to unlock if he takes a more aggressive approach ahead in the count. Kirk's skeptics think his body will force him off the plate and question what they believe are below-average defensive skills. Others see a solid blocker who excels at framing, is prepared and works well with pitchers. He has an average, accurate arm, and threw out 38 percent of runners in 2019.
  
  THE FUTURE: Kirk will get a chance to stick behind the plate and will head to Double-A New Hampshire in 2020.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked American League #12 prospect in 2018
  Kirk signed out of Mexico in 2016 and played in only one game in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2017 because of a hand injury. He initially fractured his left hand in a car collision, then re-injured his hand when hit by a pitch in his first GCL game. Kirk made up for lost time this summer as one of the best hitters in the Appy League, where he hit .354/.443/.558 with 10 home runs, 33 walks and 21 strikeouts. Kirk has a solid approach at the plate and a smooth stroke, but he faces skepticism about his future defensive home because of his frame. Listed at 5-foot-9 and 220 pounds, Kirk has well below-average athleticism and speed and will need to clean up his body to stick behind the plate. If he can, he has tools for the job with solid arm strength and game-calling ability. He threw out 43 percent of basestealers in the Appy League, and coaches were also impressed with his blocking ability.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #70 prospect in 2021

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 70. Power: 50. Run: 20. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50.
  Track Record: It's easy to overlook Kirk because of his squatty body type, but his track record of hitting continues to sparkle. Signed out of Mexico in 2016, Kirk reached high Class A in 2019 and spent most of 2020 at the alternate training site. He made the jump to Toronto in September and earned regular playing time down the stretch in the Blue Jays' playoff push.
  
  Scouting Report: Built like a shorter Pablo Sandoval, Kirk matches Sandoval's innate ability to barrel the baseball. He has short arms, a short swing and makes frequent contact, striking out just 10% of the time in 2019 and showing the bat control that translated in his brief big league callup. He has a small strike zone and stays disciplined within it, tracking pitches to drive fastballs and breaking pitches to all fields, especially fastballs at the top of the zone. He has average raw power that he accesses in games because of his ability to consistently find the sweet spot. Kirk's detractors worry about his body and question his defensive skills behind the plate, while others think he receives well, does a solid job with blocking and works well with his pitchers. He has an average arm.
  
  The Future: Kirk made a big jump to the majors at the end of the season, so more minor league time would be reasonable. Still, his performance catapulted him into the 2021 big league picture.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 70. Power: 50. Run: 20. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50.
  Track Record: It’s easy to overlook Kirk because of his squatty body type, but his track record of hitting continues to sparkle. Signed out of Mexico in 2016, Kirk reached high Class A in 2019 and spent most of 2020 at the alternate training site. He made the jump to Toronto in September and earned regular playing time down the stretch in the Blue Jays’ playoff push.
  
  Scouting Report: Built like a shorter Pablo Sandoval, Kirk matches Sandoval’s innate ability to barrel the baseball. He has short arms, a short swing and makes frequent contact, striking out just 10% of the time in 2019 and showing the bat control that translated in his brief big league callup. He has a small strike zone and stays disciplined within it, tracking pitches to drive fastballs and breaking pitches to all fields, especially fastballs at the top of the zone. He has average raw power that he accesses in games because of his ability to consistently find the sweet spot. Kirk’s detractors worry about his body and question his defensive skills behind the plate, while others think he receives well, does a solid job with blocking and works well with his pitchers. He has an average arm.
  
  The Future: Kirk made a big jump to the majors at the end of the season, so more minor league time would be reasonable. Still, his performance catapulted him into the 2021 big league picture.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 70. Power: 50. Run: 20. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50.
  Track Record: It’s easy to overlook Kirk because of his squatty body type, but his track record of hitting continues to sparkle. Signed out of Mexico in 2016, Kirk reached high Class A in 2019 and spent most of 2020 at the alternate training site. He made the jump to Toronto in September and earned regular playing time down the stretch in the Blue Jays’ playoff push.
  
  Scouting Report: Built like a shorter Pablo Sandoval, Kirk matches Sandoval’s innate ability to barrel the baseball. He has short arms, a short swing and makes frequent contact, striking out just 10% of the time in 2019 and showing the bat control that translated in his brief big league callup. He has a small strike zone and stays disciplined within it, tracking pitches to drive fastballs and breaking pitches to all fields, especially fastballs at the top of the zone. He has average raw power that he accesses in games because of his ability to consistently find the sweet spot. Kirk’s detractors worry about his body and question his defensive skills behind the plate, while others think he receives well, does a solid job with blocking and works well with his pitchers. He has an average arm.
  
  The Future: Kirk made a big jump to the majors at the end of the season, so more minor league time would be reasonable. Still, his performance catapulted him into the 2021 big league picture.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Kirk out of Mexico in 2016, but he only played one game the next year due to a hand injury. Since then, Kirk has raked, even after a promotion to high Class A in May.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The first thing that jumps out is Kirk’s body, like a shorter version of Pablo Sandoval, which is an immediate turnoff for many scouts. But Kirk is also one of the best pure hitters in the minors. He has short arms, a compact swing and outstanding bat control. His tight stroke, bat speed and ability to track pitches helps him let the ball travel deep before deciding to swing. Kirk shows a sharp eye for the strike zone and has drawn more walks than strikeouts at every level. He struck out just 10 percent of the time in 2019, barreling good fastballs and offspeed pitches in all quadrants of the zone. Kirk has a hit-over-power profile, though there’s more impact potential to unlock if he takes a more aggressive approach ahead in the count. Kirk’s skeptics think his body will force him off the plate and question what they believe are below-average defensive skills. Others see a solid blocker who excels at framing, is prepared and works well with pitchers. He has an average, accurate arm, and threw out 38 percent of runners in 2019.
  
  THE FUTURE: Kirk will get a chance to stick behind the plate and will head to Double-A New Hampshire in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Kirk out of Mexico in 2016, but he only played one game the next year due to a hand injury. Since then, Kirk has raked, even after a promotion to high Class A in May.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The first thing that jumps out is Kirk's body, like a shorter version of Pablo Sandoval, which is an immediate turnoff for many scouts. But Kirk is also one of the best pure hitters in the minors. He has short arms, a compact swing and outstanding bat control. His tight stroke, bat speed and ability to track pitches helps him let the ball travel deep before deciding to swing. Kirk shows a sharp eye for the strike zone and has drawn more walks than strikeouts at every level. He struck out just 10 percent of the time in 2019, barreling good fastballs and offspeed pitches in all quadrants of the zone. Kirk has a hit-over-power profile, though there's more impact potential to unlock if he takes a more aggressive approach ahead in the count. Kirk's skeptics think his body will force him off the plate and question what they believe are below-average defensive skills. Others see a solid blocker who excels at framing, is prepared and works well with pitchers. He has an average, accurate arm, and threw out 38 percent of runners in 2019.
  
  THE FUTURE: Kirk will get a chance to stick behind the plate and will head to Double-A New Hampshire in 2020.
• August, 2019 Scouting Report
  Kirk is a polarizing prospect among scouts. Some are quickly turned off by his body type, but Kirk has improved defensively and he's a natural hitter with good plate discipline and excellent hand-eye coordination.