Signed out of Mexico in 2016, Kirk appeared in only one game during his professional debut the following year in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League after he re-aggravated a hand injury that he initially sustained in a car accident. With two fully healthy years under his belt, Kirk will be looking to improve on a 2019 season that saw him earn a promotion from Class A Lansing to Class A Advanced Dunedin, where the catcher hit .288/.395/.446 with four homers and 25 doubles – continuing to rack up more walks than strikeouts – in 71 games.
Employing a direct and impactful swing, Kirk has natural hitting ability and above-average raw power to his pull side. He’s expected to be more of a hit-over-power guy as he moves through the Minors, with an incredible eye and good plate discipline. Scouts like Kirk’s chances of becoming at least an average hitter, in part because he controls the strike zone so well, as evidenced by the 89/60 BB/K ratio in his pro career.
Listed at 5-foot-9, 220 pounds, Kirk does have some athleticism that could help him remain behind the dish as he moves through the system. He is quick behind the plate, blocks well and is an accurate thrower. He earns praise for his solid arm strength and catch-and-throw skills that helped him throw out 38 percent of attempted basestealers in 2019. Kirk will need to continue to make improvements to remain a catcher, but there are some scouts who believe he will do just that, viewing him as a potential bat-first regular.
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 35 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50
Signed out of Mexico in 2016, Kirk appeared in only one game during his professional debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League after he re-aggravated a hand injury that he initially suffered in a car accident. Fully healthy in 2018, Kirk established himself as a legitimate prospect by hitting .354/.443/.558 with 10 home runs and 57 RBIs over 58 games in the Rookie-level Appalachian League.
Kirk ranked among the Appy League leaders in a host of categories, as he finished third in average, fourth in OBP (.443) and slugging (.558) and tied for first in RBIs. Employing a direct and impactful swing, Kirk has natural hitting ability and above-average raw power to his pull side. He got to it during games consistently in 2018, though he's expected to be more of a hit-over-power guy as he moves through the Minors. Scouts like Kirk's chances of becoming at least an average hitter, in part because he controls the strike zone so well, as evidenced by the 33/21 BB/K ratio he posted in 2018.
Listed at 5-foot-9, 220 pounds, Kirk isn't particularly athletic, nor does he run well. He's a good blocker, though, and earns praise for his solid arm strength and catch-and-throw skills that helped him throw out 43 percent of attempted basestealers in 2018. Kirk will need to make a slew of improvements to stay behind the plate, but there are some scouts who believe he'll do just that, viewing him as a potential bat-first regular.
