:Isiah Kiner-Falefa

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Isiah Kiner-Falefa

|image = Isiah Kiner-Falefa.png

|caption = Kiner-Falefa with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024

|team = Pittsburgh Pirates

|number = 7

|position = Utility player

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|3|23}}

|birth_place = Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = April 10

|debutyear = 2018

|debutteam = Texas Rangers

|statyear = May 28, 2025

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .264

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 35

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 259

|teams =

Texas Rangers ({{mlby|2018}}–{{mlby|2021}})
New York Yankees ({{mlby|2022}}–{{mlby|2023}})
Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|2024}})
Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|2024}}–present)

| awards =

Gold Glove Award (2020)

}}

Isiah Kiner-Falefa (born March 23, 1995), often abbreviated as IKF, is an American professional baseball utility player for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays.

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.

Professional career

=Minor leagues=

Kiner-Falefa attended Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the fourth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft.{{cite web|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/2013/06/07/sports/wong-kiner-falefa-selected-in-fourth-round-of-mlb-draft/|title=Wong, Kiner-Falefa selected in fourth round of MLB draft|author=Billy Hull|website=Honolulu Star-Advertiser|date=June 7, 2013|access-date=February 27, 2018}}

He made his professional debut with the Arizona League Rangers and spent all of 2013 there, batting .322 with 11 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 41 games. In 2014, he played for the AZL Rangers, Hickory Crawdads, and Spokane Indians where he batted .246 with 16 RBIs in 79 games, and in 2015, he played with Hickory and the High Desert Mavericks, where he batted .296 with 40 RBIs in 98 games. Kiner-Falefa spent 2016 with the Frisco RoughRiders where he compiled a .256 batting average with 27 RBIs in 108 games.

Kiner-Falefa played numerous positions in the Rangers organization, including shortstop, second base, third base and catcher.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/familiar-path-isiah-kiner-falefa/#HTwJqv9bdiuR4WbM.97 |title=A Familiar Path For Isiah Kiner-Falefa|website=Baseball America|access-date=February 27, 2018}}{{cite web|author=Kate Morrison|url=http://www.wfaa.com/sports/rangers-prospect-kiner-falefa-reimagined-as-utility-catcher/447114041|title=Rangers prospect Kiner-Falefa reimagined as utility catcher|website=WFAA|date=June 8, 2017|access-date=February 27, 2018|archive-date=November 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110171537/http://www.wfaa.com/sports/rangers-prospect-kiner-falefa-reimagined-as-utility-catcher/447114041|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|author=Stephen Hunt|url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/05/15/sports/kiner-falefa-embracing-new-position-in-frisco/ |title=Kiner-Falefa embracing new position in Frisco|website=Honolulu Star-Advertiser|date=May 15, 2016|access-date=February 27, 2018}} He played in 2017 with Frisco where he batted .288 with five home runs and 48 RBIs in 129 games.{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=643396#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL|title=Isiah Kiner-Falefa Stats, Highlights, Bio|website=MiLB.com|access-date=April 15, 2018}} The Rangers added him to their 40-man roster after the 2017 season.{{Cite web |last=Fraley |first=Gerry |date=November 20, 2017 |title=Texas Rangers: Pitchers in forefront as Rangers add to 40-man major-league roster |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2017/11/20/pitchers-in-forefront-as-rangers-add-to-40-man-major-league-roster/ |access-date=February 27, 2018 |newspaper=The Dallas Morning News}} 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=

Kiner-Falefa made his Major League debut against the Los Angeles Angels on April 10, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-isiah-kiner-falefa-makes-mlb-debut/c-271733220|title=Rangers' Isiah Kiner-Falefa makes MLB debut|website=MLB.com|author=T.R. Sullivan|date=April 11, 2018|access-date=October 10, 2019}} On April 14, against the Houston Astros, he hit his first career home run.{{Cite news |url=https://www.khon2.com/sports/local-sports/video-garcia-kiner-falefa-leave-the-yard-in-mlb/1122476702|title=Video: Garcia, Kiner-Falefa leave the yard in MLB|author=Sam Spangler|date=April 15, 2018|website=KHON|access-date=July 29, 2018 |language=en-US}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Sullivan_Ranger/status/1106606998177484800|title=Chris Woodward sees a 50-50 split in playing time between Jeff Mathis and Isiah Kiner-Falefa|author=T.R. Sullivan|website=Twitter|date=March 15, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2019}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article233583272.html|title=Kiner-Falefa says catching wasn't waste of time. Is he OK being a Rangers infielder again?|author=Jeff Wilson|newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=August 6, 2019|access-date=August 11, 2019}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2020/11/03/rangers-isiah-kiner-falefa-joey-gallo-win-gold-gloves-after-defensive-switches-this-season/|title=Rangers' Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Joey Gallo win Gold Gloves after defensive switches this season|first=Evan|last=Grant|publisher=The Dallas Morning News|date=November 3, 2020|access-date=February 14, 2021}} Over 158 games in 2021, he hit .271/.312/.357/.670 with 8 home runs, 53 RBI, and 20 stolen bases.{{cite web|last=Levi Weaver|date=October 6, 2021|title=Grading the 2021 Texas Rangers: Position players edition|url=https://theathletic.com/2862425/2021/10/06/grading-the-2021-texas-rangers-position-players-edition/|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=The Athletic}} 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=

File:Isiah Kiner-Falefa Yankees.png

On March 12, 2022, Texas traded Kiner-Falefa, along with pitcher Ronny Henríquez, to the Minnesota Twins for Mitch Garver.{{cite web |date=March 12, 2022 |title=Rangers sending Kiner-Falefa to Twins |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33485231/sources-texas-rangers-sending-isiah-kiner-falefa-minnesota-twins-mitch-garver |access-date=March 12, 2022 |website=ESPN.com}} One day later, Minnesota traded Kiner-Falefa, along with Ben Rortvedt and Josh Donaldson, to the New York Yankees for Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela.{{cite web |date=March 13, 2022 |title=Sources: New York Yankees finalizing deal to acquire Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Minnesota Twins |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33497638/sources-new-york-yankees-finalizing-deal-acquire-josh-donaldson-isiah-kiner-falefa-minnesota-twins |access-date=March 13, 2022 |website=ESPN.com}}{{Cite web |last=Hoch |first=Bryan |date=March 13, 2022 |title=Yankees get Donaldson, send Sánchez, Urshela to Twins |url=https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/josh-donaldson-traded-to-yankees-gary-sanchez-to-twins |access-date=March 13, 2022 |website=MLB.com}} Kiner-Falefa finished the 2022 season batting .261 with four home runs and 48 RBIs in 142 games.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kineris01.shtml|title=Isiah Kiner-Falefa Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

During spring training in 2023, Kiner-Falefa competed with Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza to be the Yankees starting shortstop.{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2023/03/how-yankees-will-choose-between-anthony-volpe-oswald-peraza-or-isiah-kiner-falefa.html |title=How Yankees will choose between Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza or Isiah Kiner-Falefa |publisher=nj.com |date=March 10, 2023 |accessdate=July 26, 2023}} Volpe won the starting shortstop job,{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/35959790/yankees-top-prospect-anthony-volpe-makes-opening-day-roster|title=Top Yankees prospect Volpe wins starting SS job|date=March 26, 2023|website=ESPN.com}} as the Yankees turned Kiner-Falefa into a utility player.{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2023/03/yankees-isiah-kiner-falefa-out-of-shortstop-competition-vows-to-be-super-utility-whiz.html |title=Yankees' Isiah Kiner-Falefa out of shortstop competition, vows to be super-utility whiz |publisher=nj.com |date=March 23, 2023 |accessdate=July 26, 2023}} 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.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2023/04/14/twins-yankees-isiah-kiner-falefa-makes-bad-yankees-history-38-mph-eephus-pitch|title=Yankees Utility Player Made Bad Team History With Hilariously Awful 38-MPH Eephus Pitch|first=Andy|last=Nesbitt|date=April 14, 2023|magazine=Sports Illustrated}} 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.{{cite web |title=IKF makes daring dash for Yanks' first steal of home since '16 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/isiah-kiner-falefa-steals-home-in-yankees-game-vs-mets |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/history/new-york-yankees-isiah-kiner-falefa-makes-painful-team-history-on-thursday-in-loss-to-seattle-mariners|title=New York Yankees Isiah Kiner-Falefa Makes Painful Team History on Thursday - Fastball|date=June 22, 2023 }} 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.{{cite web | last=Hoch | first=Bryan | title=Domingo Germán struggles in Yankees' loss to Mariners | website=MLB.com | date=June 23, 2023 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/domingo-german-struggles-in-yankees-loss-to-mariners | access-date=January 1, 2025}} He batted .242/.306/.340 for the season.{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kineris01.shtml | title=Isiah Kiner-Falefa Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More }} He became a free agent following the season.

=Toronto Blue Jays=

On December 29, 2023, Kiner-Falefa signed a two-year, $15 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.{{cite news |last1=Matheson |first1=Keegan |title=Versatile Kiner-Falefa signs 2-year deal with Toronto |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/isiah-kiner-falefa-contract-with-blue-jays |access-date=December 31, 2023 |work=MLB.com |date=December 29, 2023}}{{cite news |title=Blue Jays finalize 2-year, $15M deal with Isiah Kiner-Falefa |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39205755/blue-jays-finalize-2-year-15m-deal-isiah-kiner-falefa |access-date=December 31, 2023 |agency=Associated Press |work=ESPN.com |date=December 29, 2023}} In 82 games for Toronto in 2024, he batted .292/.338/.420 with seven home runs and 33 RBI.

=Pittsburgh Pirates=

File:Isiah Kiner-Falefa24.png of the Cardinals]]

On July 30, 2024, the Blue Jays traded Kiner{{endash}}Falefa to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Charles McAdoo.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/report-blue-jays-trade-isiah-kiner-falefa-to-pirates/|title=Blue Jays trade Isiah Kiner-Falefa to Pirates|website=Sportsnet.ca}}{{cite news |title=Pirates acquire Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Blue Jays |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40684910/pirates-acquire-isiah-kiner-falefa-blue-jays |access-date=July 30, 2024 |work=ESPN.com |date=July 30, 2024}}

Personal life

Kiner-Falefa is of Samoan, Hawaiian, Japanese and Caucasian descent.{{cite news|author=Evan Grant|title=How the Rangers found Isiah Kiner-Falefa and the prophetic words he told the scout who signed him|url=https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/texas-rangers/rangers/2018/05/30/heady-gritty-spunky-isiah-kiner-falefa-texas-draft-success-story-thehawaiian-ended-ranger|newspaper=The Dallas Morning News|date=May 30, 2018|access-date=May 30, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sportscasting.com/yankees-news-isiah-kiner-falefa-opens-up-on-his-missing-relationship-with-baseball-legend-and-distant-cousin-ralph-kiner/|title = Yankees News: Isiah Kiner-Falefa Opens up on His Missing Relationship with Baseball Legend (And Distant Cousin) Ralph Kiner|website=Sportscasting.com|last=Elman |first=Jake |date = April 9, 2022}} He is the second cousin twice removed of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner on his mother's side.{{cite news|author=Randy Miller|title=The secret is out: Disrespected Yankees shortstop is related to a Hall of Fame slugger (and beloved Mets legend)|url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2022/04/the-secret-is-out-disrespected-yankees-shortstop-is-related-to-a-hall-of-fame-slugger-and-beloved-mets-legend.html|newspaper=NJ Advance Media|date=April 6, 2022|access-date=April 7, 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45122391/pirates-ss-isiah-kiner-falefa-homers-meeting-second-cousin-first-ralph-kiner-son|author=|title=Isiah Kiner-Falefa homers after meeting 2nd cousin, Ralph Kiner's son|website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press|date=May 13, 2025|access-date=May 13, 2025}} His grandmother was from Hiroshima, Japan.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.co.jp/column/detail/201806020004-spnavi|title=イチローが選手登録を外れてから１カ月来季を視野に、変わらず妥協なく|publisher=Yahoo Sports|website=Sportsnavi|language=ja|author=丹羽政善|date=June 4, 2018|access-date=June 15, 2018}}