Eloy Jimenez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #1 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Baseball America ranked Jimenez as the No. 1 prospect in the 2013 international class, and the Cubs signed both him and No. 2 prospect Gleyber Torres. The Cubs dealt Jimenez to the White Sox along with righthander Dylan Cease as part of the four-player package for Jose Quintana in July 2017. Jimenez missed two weeks early in 2018 with a strained left pectoral muscle, and then two more weeks at midseason with a strained left adductor muscle. He spent the summer tearing apart the upper levels and finished the season ranked inside the top 10 in the minors in both batting average (.337) and slugging (.577). He also ranked as the No. 1 prospect in both the Southern and International leagues. Jimenez was not called up by the White Sox in September, even though he was already on the 40-man roster. The White Sox explained that he still has work to do on his defense in left field, but more notably it kept Jimenez from starting his service time clock.
  
  Scouting Report: For as long as he’s been a prospect, Jimenez has projected as an elite hitter who can hit for average and power. Five seasons into his minor league career, he’s done nothing to dissuade evaluators in that regard. He has at least double-plus power to all sectors now, and he hit a system-best 22 home runs in 2018. He has shown he can hit the ball out to all fields. His coiled lower half and rubber band-like takeaway in his swing remind some evaluators of Miguel Cabrera. He also shows an impressive knack for learning how pitchers plan to attack him, and then adjusting to the strategy within the same game. These qualities should allow Jimenez to be a plus hitter with plus-plus power. Defensively, he’s unlikely to ever be a standout. His range and throwing arm are both below-average. Because of this, he will be limited to left field. He’s not necessarily going to be a liability in the outfield, but he’s unlikely to be an asset out there either. Jimenez is a below-average runner as well. His value as a big leaguer is going to be largely limited to his bat, but it’s a special bat.
  
  The Future: Barring injury, Jimenez should be a major leaguer very early in 2019. He has very little left to prove in the minor leagues, and the White Sox are in a position to let him develop defensively in the big leagues with a rebuilding White Sox club.
• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #1 prospect in 2018
  The Cubs signed two of the best prospects in the 2013 international class in Jimenez and shortstop Gleyber Torres. Four years later, both have been traded away. The Cubs dealt Torres to the Yankees at the 2016 trade deadline in a package for closer Aroldis Chapman. Jimenez, who signed for $2.8 million, was sent to the White Sox in 2017 as the grand prize in a four-player package for lefthander Jose Quintana. Jimenez showed standout tools at every stop with the Cubs, played in two consecutive Futures Games and went viral on Twitter last season with a home run in the Carolina League all-star game home run derby that blasted a light tower in left field, a la Roy Hobbs in “The Natural.” As far as games that counted, Jimenez missed time with shoulder and hamstring injuries at high Class A Beach but returned to star form after the mid-July trade to the White Sox. Scouts who saw Jimenez last season used words like “manchild,” “mutant” and “Superman.” More specifically, Jimenez is an intimidating, strong-bodied prospect with a whip-quick bat capable of massive home runs. More than his raw power, which is borderline top of the scale, Jimenez is a diligent, dedicated worker. One manager recalled seeing Jimenez strike out multiple times during a game, then seeing him on the field early the next day for tracking drills. Rival managers lamented not being able to find many holes in his swing, even when they'd pitch him backward. And here's the scary part: He might not be done developing physically. Jimenez played all season at 20 years old, and still has room to sculpt his body and add more strength, possibly becoming a perennial 40-home run threat. Defensively, he's spent his career flopping back and forth between right and left field, with left his likely eventually home because of his below-average arm. He's also a tick below-average runner. Defense and speed were never expected to be selling points of his game, however. Jimenez is a hitter, period, with mix of power and the ability to get to it to change a game. Jimenez will likely begin 2018 back at Double-A Birmingham. With a rare mix of above-average hitting ability, massive power potential and the work ethic to make it all click, Jimenez projects as foundational hitter in the middle of the White Sox's order for years to come.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #1 prospect in 2017
  Jimenez's father Luis played and coached basketball in the Dominican Republic, so Jimenez grew up around athletes and some degree of fame. He was ready for the spotlight when his baseball career took off as an amateur and he ranked as the top talent in the 2013 international signing class. The Cubs signed both of the top players that year, Jimenez for $2.8 million and Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres for $1.7 million. They have grown into exactly what the Cubs thought they were, with Torres the savvier, steadier middle infielder and Jimenez the high-risk, high-upside corner bat. When Torres was traded to the Yankees in the Aroldis Chapman deal in July 2016, Jimenez emerged as the Cubs' top prospect with a breakout season at low Class A South Bend. He led the Midwest League in doubles (40) and slugging (.532) while ranking third in batting (.329). He also played in the Futures Game, where he homered and made a highlight-reel over-the-fence catch in foul territory down the right-field line. Jimenez was signed for his bat and his body--one club official admiringly called him "a physical animal"--and has started to deliver. His body evokes comparisons with former Cub Jorge Soler and Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, but he is more than just a power-first hitter. Some scouts rate Jimenez's pure hitting ability on par with his power, or put 60 grades on his hitting and 70 on his power (on the 20-80 scouting scale). While his walk rate is modest, Jimenez improved his strike-zone judgment in 2016 by seeing more pitches per at-bat, identifying spin better and applying the Cubs' selective-aggressive mantra. When he turned it loose, he barreled balls and made plenty of hard contact. He added a knee tuck and a bit of a hand pump to his swing, getting less rotational and on time more often, and it aided his ability to drive the ball to right-center field. Some scouts see long levers and a long swing, which could be exploited more by advanced pitchers. However, he has tremendous plate coverage and the aptitude to adjust quickly, and scouts laud his hitting intelligence. Jimenez is an average runner limited to a corner defensively, and he mostly played left field in 2016. An average defender, he may move to right field if he improves his below-average arm. He must continue to work to improve his throwing mechanics, which remain inconsistent. His throws lack carry, though he has become more accurate He had only one outfield assist in 2016 and has five in his career. He has a chance for an average arm, though, if he dedicates himself to a throwing program. The Cubs are working to keep him lean and athletic physically so he doesn't get too big. Some scouts question Jimenez's ultimate level of athleticism, as he's not graceful, but the Cubs believe he is still growing into his body and will gain body control with natural physical maturity and added strength. While the Cubs don't need Jimenez soon, considering their wealth of outfield options, he may force their hand if his bat continues to progress. He has polish to add against lefthanded pitchers--who handled him with a steady diet of offspeed stuff--and to his defense to be more than just a left fielder. But his bat will play. Jimenez likely will take one step at a time, reporting to high Class A Myrtle Beach for 2017, with a big league ETA of 2019.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #9 prospect in 2016
  The No. 1 international prospect on the 2013 board, Jimenez signed for $2.8 million, the largest bonus of any Latin American amateur that year. He made significant strides in the short-season Northwest League in 2015, playing every day, earning midseason all-star honors, ranking ninth in the league in batting (.284) and leading Eugene in home runs (seven) and RBIs (33). Jimenez has the most raw power of any Cubs minor leaguer, with long levers that help him produce light-tower power. He'll always have some holes in his swing, but when he fully grows into his body and learns to fully incorporate his lower half, he could be a physical monster of the Jorge Soler model. He has the tools to fit the right-field profile, with average speed that allowed him to play center field in instructional league. But he has played more left field to this point. His defensive skills continue to evolve, though his throwing mechanics are inconsistent. Intelligent and mature, Jimenez has started to add more toughness. The classic high-risk, high-reward teen, Jimenez will make his full-season debut as a 19-year-old at low Class A South Bend in 2016. He may need 2,000 at-bats in the minors to iron out his pitch recognition and plate discipline, but the Cubs have time to wait, and his bat could be special.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #20 prospect in 2015
  Jimenez was the top-rated player in the international signing class of 2013, thanks to profile right-field tools, and received the largest bonus at $2.8 million. He is still growing into his body, with his coordination catching up. Foot and shoulder injuries have slowed his progression as well, twice interrupting his 2014 debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League. He has impressed club officials with his intelligence, learning English quickly and returning to the Dominican to complete his high school diploma. He has basic fundamentals to improve, such as his throwing mechanics, which have gotten better but remain inconsistent. He has tremendous raw power with leverage in his swing and good natural balance. He must learn to use his legs more in his swing and incorporate his lower half better to make more contact and fly open with his hips less frequently. Jimenez likely will start 2015 in extended spring training and play at short-season Eugene.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #16 prospect in 2014
  Led by special assistant to the general manager Louie Eljaua, the Cubs were aggressive in the 2013 international signing period. They decided to blow past MLB's signing pool limit for 2013, spending more than $7.6 million for their five biggest signings when their entire pool allotment was just more than $5.5 million. The Cubs decided the penalties--taxes on the overage and a prohibition from signing any player for more than $250,000 in 2014--were worth incurring for players such as Jimenez, who was regarded as the top talent available on the international market (not counting Cuban professionals). He signed for $2.8 million in July and showed Cubs officials what they were paying for, displaying the potential to be a profile right fielder five years down the road. Jimenez had a strong instructional league, showing a balanced swing with a modest leg kick and good timing. He has at least above-average power with a long frame, perhaps gaining more as he fills out and learns to loft the baseball. His swing is geared more for line drives currently, and he shows the ability to use the whole field at an early age. His speed and arm earn above-average grades and he could play center field in the low minors, but as he slows he's expected to move to right. He has shown a strong desire to learn English and ought to make his pro debut in the U.S. in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2014.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #1 prospect in 2018
  Jimenez’s much-anticipated arrival at Triple-A proved to be warranted because he showed he was worthy of top billing Jimenez matched his production from Double-A, and he got better the longer he was in the IL, batting .388 with a 1.072 OPS in July and August. He has extraordinary plate discipline for a player with his experience, and his two-strike approach stands out. Bat speed and leverage for huge power tend to be staples when he’s in the batter’s box. His strength is an attention-getter, with the power likely increasing even more as he grows into his frame. “You see the physical attributes, the long arms,” Durham manager Jared Sandberg said. “You can dream about all the things he can do.” Jimenez is a below-average runner and left field is his only viable position.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #1 prospect in 2018
  Jimenez has done nothing but mash since the White Sox acquired him from the Cubs as part of the Jose Quintana deal in July 2017. He convinced SL observers of his prodigious offensive talent in a 53-game look, then moved on to the Triple-A International League, where he also ranked as that circuit’s No. 1 prospect. All told, he hit .337/.384/.577 with 22 home runs in 108 games. Jimenez will be a high-impact major league hitter and could challenge for MVP awards. One SL manager invoked the name Miguel Cabrera when describing Jimenez’s swing. He keeps his lower half coiled, his arms relaxed and his front arm close to his body, unleashing his swing like a rubber band releasing its potential energy. What makes Jimenez particularly dangerous is his power to all fields and ability to adjust his approach from one at-bat to the next. Jimenez has below-average but playable range and arm strength for left field and could stand to improve his jumps and routes to the ball. “He’s the top guy in the league. He’s a freak,” Jackson manager Shelley Duncan said. “He hit a fastball over the center-field fence in Jackson—and nobody clears that—late in the game off 96 (mph) to give them lead.”
• 
  Ranked Carolina League #1 prospect in 2017
  The prize of the four-player package that the Cubs used to pry Jose Quintana from the White Sox, Jimenez had an easy transition from organizations. Myrtle Beach and Winston-Salem were playing each other when the trade went down, so he and teammates Matt Rose and Bryant Flete simply grabbed their equipment and switched dugouts. Jimenez's carrying tool is obvious. He has easy plus-plus raw power and at least plus in-game power. But he's no one-trick pony. Jimenez can hit the ball 400-plus feet, but he can also rip line drives to all fields and projects to hit for average in addition to power. His approach is beyond what evaluators would expect for a 20-year-old, and his 18.9 percent strikeout rate is low for a power hitter. In the outfield, Jimenez is average at best and some see him as a tick below-average thanks to his below-average speed, but he should be fine in a corner.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #3 prospect in 2016
  Two of the three best AFL prospects were both part of the Cubs' high-priced 2013 international class, with Jimenez and Torres being the top Cubs signees that year. Already an impressive physical specimen at 19, Jimenez remains a bit raw but has a big, big upside. He made a big jump forward in 2016 with an outstanding full-season debut, and followed it with an AFL slash line of .255/.323/.491 with three home runs. The keys for Jimenez are his plus bat speed and plus raw power generated by his strong hands, needing just to add consistency in his hitting approach to take the next step forward. He projects as a starting corner outfielder, with his average arm improving enough to handle right field.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #2 prospect in 2016
  The Cubs invested $2.8 million to sign Jimenez out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, and he took a huge step forward this season in his first crack at full-season ball. He starred in both the MWL all-star game and Futures Game, hitting a home run in both, and took home MVP honors after leading the MWL with 40 doubles and a .532 slugging percentage. He ranked second with 81 RBIs and third with a .329 average. Jimenez has plus raw power, with the ability to hit the ball out to any part of the park. His hit tool grades as above-average. He can be overly aggressive but has a solid two-strike approach. He has shown the aptitude to adjust to pitches on the outer half as well as offspeed pitches, though his pitch recognition will need to improve. Jimenez is an average runner and average defender in left field who has gotten better jumps on balls this year. He could improve his average arm with better lower-half mechanics. He engages with teammates and the media and has rapidly improved his English skills.
• 
  Ranked Northwest League #3 prospect in 2015
  The Cubs invested $2.8 million to sign Jimenez in 2013. After a rough go in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2014, he began showing some of the promise the Cubs saw two years ago. Jimenez is a strong, physical righthanded batter with plus raw power. He can hit the ball out to all fields and shows tremendous opposite-field pop. He has a long swing, but his level bat path keeps the barrel in the zone a long time. He has holes in his swing, but he maintains a good approach and makes a ton of contact. He has average to tick above-average speed underway with a tick above-average arm as well. With experience, he should be at least an average defender in right field. "Big bonus. Big tools," one scout said. "He's got a long ways to go, but he's aggressive and has some power. He hasn't quite taken another step (forward), but that's a solid year in an aggressive assignment."
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #13 prospect in 2014
  The Cubs went all-in with their international spending in 2013 and significantly exceeded their pool allocation, resulting in restrictions on what they could spend in 2014. They handed out the biggest prize to Jimenez, forking over $2.8 million, which was the largest bonus given to an international amateur by any organization. Both Jimenez and Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres, who signed for $1.7 million, began their pro careers in the AZL at the age of 17. Jimenez already is an impressive physical specimen, and so far it's all about tools, physicality and projection. He's a big, strong athlete who projects to get even bigger. While the raw power is evident and balls jump off his bat, Jimenez has holes in his swing and needs to stay away from breaking balls low and away. Jimenez is starting to adjust to game speed in right field, while working to strengthen his average or better arm. "He's a kid with a lot of potential," Cubs manager Jimmy Gonzalez said. "Great tools . . . big, strong, kid, and he's going to fill in."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #3 prospect in 2019
• Ranked Baseball America's #4 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #14 prospect in 2017

• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Acquired from the Cubs last summer as the centerpiece of the deal that sent lefthander Jose Quintana from the South Side to the North Side, Jimenez has done little to dampen his reputation as one of the game’s very best prospects. He’s as pure a hitter as they come, with a smooth righthanded stroke capable of producing both average and huge power, with the potential to hit 40 home runs or more in a season. His below-average arm relegates him to left field, but his bat is enough to make him a star regardless of position.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Cubs signed two of the best prospects in the 2013 international class in Jimenez and shortstop Gleyber Torres. Four years later, both have been traded away. The Cubs dealt Torres to the Yankees at the 2016 trade deadline for closer Aroldis Chapman. Jimenez, who signed for $2.8 million, was sent to the White Sox in 2017 as the grand prize in a four-player package (which also included righthander Dylan Cease) for lefthander Jose Quintana. Jimenez showed standout tools at every stop with the Cubs, played in two consecutive Futures Games and went viral on Twitter in 2017 with a home run in the high Class A Carolina League home run derby that blasted a light tower in left field, a la Roy Hobbs in "The Natural". As far as games that counted, Jimenez missed time with shoulder and hamstring injuries at high Class A Myrtle Beach but returned to star form after his mid-July trade to the White Sox. Scouting Report: Scouts who saw Jimenez last season used words like "man-child," "mutant" and "Superman." More specifically, Jimenez is an intimidating, strong-bodied prospect with a whip-quick bat capable of massive home runs. More than his raw power, which approaches the top of the scale, he is a diligent, dedicated worker. One manager recalled seeing Jimenez strike out multiple times during a game, then saw him on the field early the next day for tracking drills. Rival managers lamented not being able to find many holes in his swing, even when they pitched him backwards. And here's the scary part: Jimenez might not be done developing physically. He played all of 2017 at 20 years old and still has room to sculpt his body and add more strength, possibly becoming a perennial 40-home run threat. Jimenez has spent his career flipping back and forth between right and left field, with left his likely eventual home because of his below-average arm. He's also a tick below-average runner. Defense and speed were never expected to be selling points of his game, however. Jimenez is a hitter, period, with a mix of power and ability to get to it to change a game. The Future: Jimenez will likely begin 2018 back at Double-A Birmingham. With a rare mix of plus hitting ability, massive power potential and the work ethic to make it all click, Jimenez projects as foundational, middle-of-the-order hitter for the White Sox.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Jimenez's father Luis played and coached basketball in the Dominican Republic, so Jimenez grew up around athletes and some degree of fame. He was ready for the spotlight when his baseball career took off as an amateur and he ranked as the top talent in the 2013 international signing class. The Cubs signed both of the top players that year, Jimenez for $2.8 million and Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres for $1.7 million. They have grown into exactly what the Cubs thought they were getting, with Torres the savvier, steadier middle infielder and Jimenez the high-risk, high-upside corner bat. While Torres was traded to the Yankees in the Aroldis Chapman deal in July 2016, Jimenez emerged as the Cubs' top prospect with a breakout season at low Class A South Bend. He led the Midwest League in doubles (40) and slugging (.532) while ranking third in batting (.329). He also played in the Futures Game, where he homered and made a highlight-reel over-the-fence catch in foul ground down the right-field line. Scouting Report: Jimenez was signed for his bat and his body--one club official admiringly called him "a physical animal"--and has started to deliver. His body evokes comparisons with former Cub Jorge Soler and Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, but he's more than a power-first hitter. Some scouts rate Jimenez's pure hitting ability on par with his power, or put 60 grades on his hitting and 70 on his power (on the 20-80 scouting scale). While his walk rate is modest, Jimenez improved his strike-zone judgment in 2016 by seeing more pitches per at-bat, identifying spin more and applying the Cubs' selective-aggressive mantra. When he turned it loose, he barreled balls and made plenty of hard contact. He added a knee tuck and a bit of a hand pump to his swing, getting less rotational and on time more often, and it aided his ability to drive the ball to right-center field. Some scouts see long levers and a long swing, which could be exploited more by advanced pitchers. But others believe he has the aptitude to adjust quickly and laud his hitting intelligence. Jimenez's other tools grade out as average. He's an average runner but limited to a corner, and he mostly played left field in 2016. His weakest tool is his fringy arm. His throws lack carry, though he has become more accurate. He had only one outfield assist in 2016 and has five in his career. He has a chance for an average arm, though, if he dedicates himself to a throwing program. The Cubs are working to keep him lean and athletic physically so he doesn't get too big. Some scouts question Jimenez's ultimate level of athleticism, as he's not graceful, but the Cubs believe he is still growing into his body and will gain body control with natural physical maturity and added strength. The Future: While the Cubs don't need Jimenez soon, he may force their hand if his bat continues to progress. He has polish to add against lefthanded pitchers, who handled him with a steady diet of offspeed stuff, and to his defense to be more than just a left fielder. He likely will take one step at a time, reporting to high Class A Myrtle Beach for 2017, with a big league ETA of 2019.
• August, 2016 Scouting Report
  Two of the three best AFL prospects were both part of the Cubs' high-priced 2013 international class, with Jimenez and Torres being the top Cubs signees that year. Already an impressive physical specimen at 19, Jimenez remains a bit raw but has a big, big upside. He made a big jump forward in 2016 with an outstanding full-season debut, and followed it with an AFL slash line of .255/.323/.491 with three home runs. The keys for Jimenez are his plus bat speed and plus raw power generated by his strong hands, needing just to add consistency in his hitting approach to take the next step forward. He projects as a starting corner outfielder, with his average arm improving enough to handle right field.