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The Toronto Blue Jays have informed Alejandro Kirk that he has made the team for the upcoming 2021 season.
This decision solidifies the organization's confidence in the 21-year-old catcher being ready for the big leagues. It also forces the team into a decision on Reese McGuire, who is currently out of minor league options, meaning he might not be a member of the Blue Jays for much longer.
It looks like the Jays are poised to enter the season with Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk behind the plate, which creates a fascinating dynamic for manager Charlie Montoyo.
Based on the hotter player and comfortability with certain starting pitchers, that will likely decide who is given the spot in the starting lineup for a given game. However, these are two catchers that excel at different aspects of baseball.
Likely, the main reason Kirk made the team was because of his bat. It's a small sample size, but in 24 at-bats last season with the Blue Jays, he hit .375 with one home run and three RBI's.
While on the other side, Jansen excels at the defensive side of the game. In 2019 he was a finalist for the Gold Glove award, finishing with a .995 fielding percentage, which was 4th best in the AL. In 2020, Jansen only had someone steal a base on him 20 times (4th best in the AL) and threw out six runners who tried stealing (also 4th best in the AL).
This makes Montoyo's job a lot easier because late in games, he can use his catchers very situationally.
If the Jays are down by a couple of runs late in the game, he can make sure Kirk and his offensive bat are in the lineup to help the team score some runs. On the flip side, if the team is up a couple of runs and trying to hold onto a lead late in a game, Jansen is the catcher you make sure is behind the plate.
For a team like the Jays, who love versatility, this seems like a dream situation. These two catchers thrive in different situations, allowing the team who utilize them when needed. Expect to see them swap places often mid-game depending on the situation, which should let them both get a healthy amount of playing time and help the Jays organization see which one might be the player they commit to long term.