MLB News: Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays Reportedly Agree to $58M Contract Extension

The Toronto Blue Jays are locking in Alejandro Kirk as their starting catcher of the future.

The Blue Jays have agreed to a five-year, $58 million extension with Kirk through the 2030 season, according to FanSided's Robert Murray and The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

The deal includes a $6 million signing bonus, no deferred money and no club options, according to Murray and Rosenthal.

Kirk, who is heading into his sixth season with the Blue Jays, was previously eligible to hit his third and final year of arbitration ahead of the 2026 season.

The extension comes after the Blue Jays parted ways with Danny Jansen, previously the organization's longest-tenured player, at the 2024 trade deadline. Toronto received three prospects in return for sending Jansen to the Boston Red Sox.

Jansen was formerly part of a duo with Kirk. The Blue Jays chose not to pursue another catcher after the 2024 season, setting Kirk on track for a full-time starting job in 2025.

Kirk started preparing for his newly-expanded role in November by relocating his offseason training from Mexico to the Blue Jays' team facilities in Dunedin, Florida, according to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson.

Last season Kirk slashed .253/.319/.359 in 103 games for the Blue Jays. He ranked in the 97th percentile in caught stealing above average and in the 93rd percentile in framing, according to Baseball Savant.

The catcher's best offensive campaign came in 2022, when he earned an AL All-Star nod and Silver Slugger award while batting .285 and recording more walks (63) than strikeouts (58.)

Kirk showed some promising signs of returning to his previous status as a top dual-threat catcher during this spring's Cactus League action, where he batted .302 with two home runs and eight RBI in 17 games.

Catcher Tyler Heineman also made Toronto's Opening Day roster, manager John Schneider said Saturday. Heineman is set to back up Kirk when the Blue Jays open the 2025 season on Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles.