Smash or Pass: Isaiah Kiner-Falefa

"He's Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, or IKF for short. The former Yankee also spent time in Texas and Toronto before signing a 2-year, 15 million dollar year with the Blue Jays, who then traded him to the Pirates at that trade deadline. He was then claimed off waivers by the Jays to mark his second stint with the team in as many years. He's a shortstop primarily, but has also spent considerable time at second base and third base in his seven-year career."

"If you were just looking at offensive stats, the case for IKF is not there. He ranks in the lowest tenth percentile in nearly every batting category you can measure, including slugging percentage, exit velocity, barrel and hard hit percentages, bat speed and walk rate. He has almost no isolated power to speak of (.072 in 2025.) He's about as underwhelming at the plate as you can possibly get and have a sturdy career and a sturdy slashline: in his career, that has been .262/.311/.349."

"But his defensive acumen makes up for almost all of that, since he still is a guy who can get some singles or advance some runners at the bottom of the lineup even with the absence of anything with any more power. He's versatile in the field, and, more importantly, sound in the field. He committed just nine errors in 2025, which"

Isaiah Kiner-Falefa is a versatile infielder with major-league experience at shortstop, second base, and third base. He signed a 2-year, $15 million-per-year deal with the Blue Jays, was traded to the Pirates, and then reclaimed by the Jays via waivers. Offensive metrics are poor, with placement in the lowest decile across many batting categories and virtually no isolated power (.072 in 2025); his career slash line sits at .262/.311/.349. Defensive skill offsets offensive limitations, producing range, versatility, and reliability in the field, including just nine errors in 2025. He represents a defensive-first option for roster construction amid uncertainty around Alex Bregman and Marcelo Mayer’s positioning.

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