It’s a familiar spring feeling for Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk. Hopefully it’s a familiar result

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This article was published 20/03/2022 (1638 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DUNEDIN, Fla.—Alejandro Kirk will have to be forgiven if he’s experiencing a sense of déjà vu this spring. One year after beating out Reese McGuire for the second catcher’s spot with the Blue Jays, he’s in the process of trying to do it all over again.

The debate over whether Kirk should be with the big-league club, or stashed in the minors, appeared to end last spring when Kirk was named to the opening-day roster. His promotion meant McGuire became the odd man out and had to be put through waivers, potentially ending his time with the Jays.

A few days later, McGuire somewhat surprisingly cleared and was outrighted to the minors, but that did little to change anything. Kirk had a secure spot and he figured unlikely to give it back, while McGuire returned to being a depth piece, this time as someone who wasn’t even on the 40-man roster.

But baseball is a funny sport and things rarely go according to plan. One month into the season, Kirk went down with a hip flexor injury, and by June McGuire reminded everyone that catching depth is essential by hitting .344 with an .876 on-base plus slugging performance. While his production later slowed, he contributed when the Jays needed him most.

Much later in the year, when everyone was healthy, the Jays hit pause on having to pick one or the over a second time by carrying both alongside Danny Jansen. This spring, the competition has been renewed with the Jays again having the option to prioritize Kirk’s bat or overall depth.

“The mentality I bring this year, I just want to make the team,” said Kirk, who got the start at designated hitter in the Jays’ 10-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon. “I know we have good catchers, but I’m going to keep working very hard and my plan is to just make the team and see what happens.”

There is a scenario where the Jays could avoid having to choose one catcher over the other, but it would require a temporary rule change. Major League Baseball and the MLB Players’ Association reportedly are still talking about the possibility of expanding rosters from 26 players to 28 for at least April.

The move isn’t without precedent. In 2020, after an abbreviated three-week summer camp during the pandemic, teams were allowed to carry 28 players for the full year. Considering the shortened nature of this year’s camp post-lockout, it’s a step that seems reasonable to take again.

If the rosters remain at 26, there wouldn’t be enough room to carry three catchers for a significant length of time. With a couple extra spots, there might be space for all three, especially considering Kirk would figure to get some at-bats against lefties out of the DH spot, like he did against the Pirates.

“They’re all competing,” Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “It all depends on what happens at the beginning, how (big) the rosters are going to be. It’s too early for me to say that, but it’s always good to have three catchers because you can make more moves and stuff, even more with a guy like Kirk who swings the bat.”

Kirk won’t have many games this spring to make his case, so he isn’t wasting any time. During the first inning of Sunday’s game, he sent a no-doubter over the wall in left field for a two-run homer. A couple frames later, the third-year player out of Mexico doubled off the wall in right-centre. He finished the day 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.

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Based on talent alone, Kirk is an easy choice to not only make the roster but receive a lot of playing time. He has the most upside with the bat of the three catchers and he has made enough strides defensively over the last couple years to be considered a viable option behind the plate.

But this is a business and sometimes the politics of the sport play a role. If the Jays are concerned about injuries and don’t have room for three catchers, Kirk could head to the minors. There’s also a chance he eventually could be used as part of a bigger trade package to acquire another position player. With under three weeks to go before opening day, a lot of things are up in the air.

“I just have to put up good numbers to make the team,” said Kirk, who hit .242 with 16 extra-base hits in 165 at-bats last season. “The most important thing is that I feel really good right now. I feel healthy and that’s what is helping me out right now.”

Looming over the entire competition is catching prospect Gabriel Moreno, who has yet to arrive in camp because of work visa issues. Moreno was never a candidate to be with the Jays on opening day but he’s on the 40-man roster and, unlike a year ago, he should be prepared to fill in at the big-league level if there are injuries.

With increased depth, having McGuire around is a luxury the Jays don’t really need. And if the Kirk-McGuire decision comes down to selecting one over the other, the choice is clear. It’s one that has been made before. Pick Kirk and get his bat in the lineup on a regular basis.