Alejandro Kirk finally gets the respect he deserves in MLB catcher rankings
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Victor William
Feb 3, 2026 (12:14)
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Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Alejandro Kirk has officially arrived as one of the game's premier backstops, and MLB's latest rankings just confirmed what Toronto fans have known since October.
The "Captain" label usually goes to veterans, but Kirk is quietly becoming the backbone of this franchise.
Fresh off signing a massive 5-year, $58 million extension, he just landed at #3 on MLB's "Top 10 Catchers Right Now" list.
This isn't a sympathy vote.
It is a recognition of a 27-year-old who just posted career highs in home runs (15) and RBIs (76) while leading a pitching staff to the World Series.
The fact that he jumped ahead of established stars like J.T. Realmuto speaks volumes about his two-way evolution.
While Cal Raleigh took the top spot, Kirk's combination of elite blocking (100th percentile) and high-contact hitting makes him arguably more valuable in the clutch.
Check out the full breakdown of his ascent to the catching mountaintop right here: https://athlonsports.com/mlb/toronto-blue-jays/mlb-announces-alejandro-kirk-top-10-catchers-seventh-blue-jays-season
The days of doubting Kirk's defense are officially over
As a fan, watching Kirk transform from a "bat-first" prospect into a defensive wizard has been incredible.
Remember when critics said he was too slow or couldn't frame?
He silenced them by posting 21 Blocks Above Average (best in MLB) and 9 Defensive Runs Saved in 2025.
He isn't just catching; he is erasing mistakes.
That ability to steal strikes and block everything in the dirt gives our pitchers the confidence to throw their nastiest stuff with runners on third.
Offensively, he remains a unicorn—a catcher who refuses to strike out and sprays the ball all over the field.
The "Kirky" era is fully here, and we have him locked up through his prime.
This ranking is great, but the ring he almost grabbed last year is the only hardware that matters now.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 3|393 ANSWERS Alejandro Kirk finally gets the respect he deserves in MLB catcher rankings Is Alejandro Kirk now the second-most important player on the Blue Jays roster? | ||
| Yes | 276 | 70.2 % |
| No | 117 | 29.8 % |
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