DUNEDIN, Fla. -- With each passing day that Alejandro Kirk is away from Blue Jays camp as he and his partner await the birth of their child, the decision on whether or not he will participate in the World Baseball Classic becomes trickier. 

Kirk has been training on his own, going between his home in Mexico and San Diego, where the baby is expected to be born. The 24-year-old All-Star has the club’s support to be with his family, of course, but when the time comes for him to join the Blue Jays at camp, the two sides will need to make a baseball decision.

“You’re getting to the point where you really have to make the best decision for the club,” manager John Schneider said Wednesday. “Nothing yet on the baby front, so we’ve talked through a number of different scenarios regarding what’s best for him and what’s best for us. If it does get to that, then that will be part of the equation.”

There’s not necessarily a deadline on this, given how many factors are at play. These discussions are ongoing, though, and they will develop each day. 

“We’re entering that tricky timeframe where you want to be really sure that you’re building up correctly,” Schneider said. “We’re right around that timeframe.”

Mexico opens its World Baseball Classic schedule on March 11 against Colombia, a game that is scheduled to take place in Phoenix. Kirk would need to join the club prior to then, of course, making that timeframe even tighter. Pitchers and catchers participating in the WBC reported a few days earlier this spring, on Feb. 13, to help offset the time they’d be missing.

Working in Kirk’s favor is that he’s such a naturally gifted hitter, so missing a few reps at the plate may not hurt him as much as your average 24-year-old. As a catcher, though, there are many more responsibilities.

Schneider singled out Kirk’s physical buildup through camp -- like any other player’s -- as a primary challenge, and added that Kirk will need to learn a new group of pitchers, including Chris Bassitt and Erik Swanson. Some of these things require time and can’t be expedited much more. 

In the meantime, veteran Rob Brantly is working with more pitchers. The 33-year-old has appeared in eight MLB seasons with five organizations and played in 887 Minor League games, so his experience is valuable. 

“He knows why we brought him in here,” Schneider said. “He’s been around long enough to where he understands what he needs to do to be a key contributor to this team. I love the way he works. I love the way he communicates. I think his actual physical skills speak for themselves. I like the way he catches, and he’s a left-handed hitter. He’s a veteran presence, and I’ve been very pleased with what he’s done so far.”

Once the Blue Jays have Kirk back and rolling, he will form one of baseball’s best catching tandems alongside Danny Jansen, who enjoyed an offensive breakout of his own in 2022. Last season, Kirk hit .285 with 14 home runs and a .787 OPS, walking more times (63) than he struck out (58), as his ability to make contact added a unique element to the heart of Toronto's lineup.