Team Mexico has its catcher.
This is the best player announcement in WBC historypic.twitter.com/3bM0EWmqyu
— Avery Chenier (@AveryChenier) January 1, 2026
Mexico’s national team confirmed on Dec. 31 that Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk will play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
¡TENEMOS CATCHER! 😎🔥
El campeón de la Liga Americana, Alejandro Kirk, está listo para dejarlo todo y defender la sangre mexicana en el Clásico Mundial 2026 🏆🌎#EsMiSangre 🩸🇲🇽⚾️ pic.twitter.com/FTYjLNWx5L
— Novena México 🇲🇽⚾ (@MexicoBeis) January 1, 2026
Kirk, 27, is a two-time MLB All-Star (2022, 2025) and the 2022 Silver Slugger Award winner at catcher. A right-handed hitter from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, he has played six seasons in Major League Baseball with the Blue Jays since debuting in 2020.
Kirk withdrew from the 2023 World Baseball Classic following the birth of his child, but is now expected to be Mexico’s starting catcher in March.
Last season, Kirk helped Toronto reach its first World Series since 1993 while playing in 130 games with 506 plate appearances, batting .282 with a 2.3 WAR. He recorded 127 hits, 18 doubles, 15 home runs, 76 RBI, 48 walks, 59 strikeouts, and a .769 OPS.
This past postseason, Kirk appeared in 18 games and hit .254/.349/.493 with 71 at-bats, 18 hits, two doubles, five home runs, 13 RBI, nine walks, and 13 strikeouts, as the Blue Jays fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games in the 2025 World Series.
According to Jeff Duda of World Baseball Network, Kirk posted a 4.7 fWAR in 2025, the second-best mark among MLB starting catchers, while also ranking among the game’s top defensive catchers. Duda noted that Kirk rebounded offensively after two quieter seasons in 2023 and 2024, and that his 76 RBI tied for fourth among catchers.
Mexico’s Commitments Are Growing: Arozarena, Duran, Walker — With More Expected
Mexico’s roster picture is building quickly. Jeff Duda reported that Mexico has already secured official commitments from Jarren Duran and Taijuan Walker, and also confirmed Randy Arozarena’s participation for 2026.
Arozarena hit .238/.334/.426 with a career-high 27 home runs and 76 RBI, and was one of the stars of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. During that tournament, he posted a 1.507 OPS and led Mexico with nine RBI.
In a recent interview, manager Benji Gil said Isaac Paredes, Andrés Muñoz, and Jonathan Aranda are also expected to join the roster, but are awaiting final protocol clearances before their commitments become official, per Duda’s reporting.
