The Blue Jays have signed Eloy Jimenez to a minor league contract, according to reporter Mike Rodriguez. Jimenez’s latest deal with the Jays includes an invitation to Toronto’s Major League spring camp.
After signing a minors deal with Toronto right at the end of August, Jimenez only got into six games with Triple-A Buffalo, and he had a .508 OPS over 21 trips to the plate. This gave Jimenez an overall .247/.326/.347 slash line in 215 plate appearances in the Jays’ and Rays’ farm systems, without any games played at the Major League level.
Once a feared power bat who signed a six-year, $43MM deal with the White Sox before ever appearing in a big league game, Jimenez somewhat lived up to that potential by hitting .275/.324/.487 with 89 homers over 1777 PA during the 2019-23 seasons. However, Jimenez was set back by a laundry list of injuries, and his 122 games played in 2019 remains his highest game total in a regulation-length season. The 2024 season was a total calamity for Jimenez, as he hit .238/.289/.336 over 349 PA while missing time with an adductor strain and a hamstring strain.
The White Sox gave up on Jimenez by dealing him to the Orioles at the 2024 trade deadline, and Baltimore unsurprisingly declined a $16.5MM club option on the former slugger for the 2025 season. Jimenez then landed in Tampa Bay last winter on a minors deal, but between more injury woes and his uninspiring numbers, the Rays released him last July.
Jimenez is still only 29 years old, and is still posting decent hard-hit ball numbers and exit velocities. Considering his past history, there’s no risk for the Blue Jays in taking a more extended look at Jimenez in camp to see if a late-career turn-around is possible, even if it doesn’t seem likely Jimenez will be able to crack Toronto’s crowded roster. His best-case scenario might be a big Spring Training performance, and then heading to another interested team via trade or an opt-out in his contract at the end of camp.
This is a great move. No risk, and high potential rewards.
Dude is washed up lol. He made 43 mil. He’s content in life
Good dude, fun with fans, enjoy an early retirement
Didn’t know he was even with the blue Jays organization
Maybe he goes to Buffalo and hits 25-30 homers. Good depth signing.
Nothing lost here.
Very nice guy, read an article about him one about how he rescued an entire coterie of goats from slaughter and made them ambassadors.
Wouldn’t a coterie of goats be called a goaterie?
That might be the most random thing I have heard today… or ever? lol
Ambassadors? Sounds like most Trump appointments.
More qualified than the current embassy staff
If you look at his numbers its insane hes not on an mlb team.
Shame to see him struggle so much he did slightly better in winter ball this year especially lately so maybe he can figure things out next year.
Pleased we’re still part of his journey.
More guys should be like him, happy go lucky, loves to rev up the fans pre game
Is he better than Yoan Moncada?
Once seemed to be on his way, but after injuries, lost his way. Hope he gets back to what he was or close to it.
White Sox Legend!!!
Another can’t miss Cuban! Really want this kid to make it all the way back….if you see him in person you would think he was DA BEARS starting tight end …..the talent is no doubt there just get him healthy physically n mentally you might catch lightning! Rooting for you Eloy!
*Dominican
Joey right on dude ….. please don’t ask why I thought he was Cuban….and I’m not drunk or using any drugs not even sniffing glue lol
Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit..k
He should try to go to NPB and get some every day reps assuming he can stay healthy enough to do so.
Didn’t he used to be the can’t miss #1 prospect?
Very much so cant miss prospect.
Can’t miss bat maybe. But as a 23yr old, it widely known he could never play the field
Ahh Welcome to the suck team
What makes you think he will be dealt to yours?
Lol
Hope he invested what he got out of that $43m cause that is what he will need to live the high life for a long time. His game was awful in minors.
Amazing how this guy has managed to stay afloat in the majors.
Well, no such thing as a bad minor league signing. Worst case, he sucks in Buffalo.
@iains 2
Yep. If he sucks bad enough to get cut, it’s a rounding error on the overall budget.
Crazy this guy has banked over $40 million. Good for him. That buys a lot of Arbys. He has a well known love of beef and cheddars.
The article cites his hard hit rate but not his ground ball rate, which has been a huge problem for him.
So many leg injuries, at some point he just stopped driving the ball in the air with any authority.
Don’t worry “Juanuribejazzhands” recently subscribed to fangraphs. So he will be in shortly with a link to a stat table.
More of that minor league signing magic I come to this site for!! Oh, yeah!
It seemed last year in AAA that it was still too much of a rush to have him back. Great young man needs time to get healthy. Nothing wrong with ‘A’ ball and slowly working back up.
Good luck Eloy!