Kiner-Falefa was born and raised in Hawaii,where he attended Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu. Out of high school,he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB draft. After spending five seasons in the Rangers farm system,Kiner-Falefa made his major league debut in April 2018. In 2020,he won the American League Gold Glove Award at third base. In 2020 and 2021,he led the Rangers in several statistical batting categories. Prior to the 2022 season,Kiner-Falefa was sent to the Minnesota Twins but was flipped to the Yankees the following day as part of a multi-player trade. Kiner-Falefa signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in December 2023 and was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in July 2024.
Kiner-Falefa played numerous positions in the Rangers organization,including shortstop,second base,third base and catcher.[2][3][4] He played in 2017 with Frisco where he batted .288 with five home runs and 48 RBIs in 129 games.[5] The Rangers added him to their 40-man roster after the 2017 season.[6] He opened the 2018 season with the Round Rock Express,appearing in five games before being recalled to the major leagues for the rest of the season.
Texas Rangers (2018–2021)
Kiner-Falefa made his major league debut against the Los Angeles Angels on April 10,2018.[7] On April 14,against the Houston Astros,he hit his first career home run.[8] Kiner-Falefa appeared in 111 games during his rookie season of 2018,hitting .261/.325/.357/.682 with 4 home runs and 34 RBI,while playing games at catcher,third base,shortstop,and second base. He opened the 2019 season with Rangers in a catching tandem with veteran Jeff Mathis.[9] Kiner-Falefa was placed on the injured list on June 7,and recalled on August 2 in the role of utility infielder and third string catcher.[10] He finished 2019 hitting .238/.299/.322 with one home run and 21 RBI.
In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season,Kiner-Falefa hit .280/.329/.370 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI in 58 games. He was awarded the AL Gold Glove Award for third basemen.[11] Over 158 games in 2021,he hit .271/.312/.357/.670 with 8 home runs,53 RBI,and 20 stolen bases.[12] He led the major leagues with 136 singles. Defensively,he moved to shortstop and led his position with 436 assists and 98 double plays.
New York Yankees (2022–2023)
Kiner-Falefa with the Yankees in 2022 spring training
During spring training in 2023,Kiner-Falefa competed with Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza to be the Yankees starting shortstop.[17] Volpe won the starting shortstop job,[18] as the Yankees turned Kiner-Falefa into a utility player.[19] On April 13,2023,Kiner-Falefa made his pitching debut in the ninth inning during an 11-2 loss for the Yankees against the Minnesota Twins. His second pitch on the mound,38 MPH eephus pitch,was the slowest tracked pitch in Yankees history.[20] On June 14,during the Subway Series against the New York Mets,Kiner-Falefa stole home off pitcher Brooks Raley. He became the first Yankee player since Didi Gregorius on August 27,2016,to steal home.[21] On June 22,Kiner-Falefa was sent out for his third career pitching appearance in the top of the ninth inning of a 10–0 blowout loss against the Seattle Mariners. In the bottom of the ninth,he became the first Yankees position player to pitch three times in a season.[22] He pitched a scoreless inning,recording his first strikeout (Eugenio Suarez). He was called to bat as the pitcher in the lineup,which resulted in a 2-run home run against reliever Chris Flexen. Kiner-Falefa became the first Yankee to hit a home run as a pitcher since Lindy McDaniel did so on September 28,1972,the last season before the American League's adoption of the designated hitter rule.[23] He batted .242/.306/.340 for the season.[24] He became a free agent following the season.
Toronto Blue Jays (2024)
On December 29,2023,Kiner-Falefa signed a two-year,$15 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.[25][26] In 82 games for Toronto in 2024,he batted .292/.338/.420 with seven home runs and 33 RBI.
Pittsburgh Pirates (2024–2025)
Kiner-Falefa (right) on base in St. Louis,with Brendan Donovan of the Cardinals
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