Eloy Jimenez was once a top prospect and a young star in the making. Now? He's trying to save his career.
Eloy Jimenez was once a top prospect and a star in the making on a playoff time with the Chicago White Sox.
Now? He's trying to save his career. Perhaps first base is the way to do it.
A career-long outfielder and designated hitter, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports that Jimenez is spending time at first base this spring with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Eloy Jiménez has been spending a lot of time at first base early in camp. He’s dabbled there for a few games in the minors and, more recently, in the Dominican Winter League. He’s taking more grounders there with Vladdy this morning at TD Ballpark. #BlueJays
Frankly, it's a smart decision by Jimenez. While it's unclear if he has a realistic chance at making the Toronto roster, building his versatility could make him appealing to other teams. He should plenty of chances this spring with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kazuma Okamoto expected to play deep into the looming World Baseball Classic.
About Jimenez
Still just 29 years old, Jimenez is a six-year veteran of the White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Ranked as the No. 4 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline in 2018, Jimenez made his debut with Chicago in 2019. Jimenez is a six-year veteran of the White Sox and Baltimore Orioles
An integral player for the White Sox as they came out of their prior rebuild, he helped Chicago make the playoffs in the COVID 2020 season and again in 2021. He burst on to the scene in the 2019 campaign, hitting 31 home runs in 122 games. He also hit 14 homers in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign (60 games), but then the injuries set in.
He played just 55 games in 2021 and 84 games in 2022. He rebounded in 2023, hitting 18 home runs and driving in 64, but he struggled in 2024, hitting just .238 with Chicago before getting traded to Baltimore and hitting .232 in 33 games.
He signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025, hitting .278 with three home runs in 40 games at Triple-A Durham. He ended the year in the Blue Jays organization, playing just six games.
He was granted free agency in November of 2025 but re-signed with the Jays on a minor league deal in January. He hit .246 with five home runs in the Dominican winter league this season. He drove in 19 runs in 33 games.
The World Baseball Classic begins on March 5 so Guerrero and Okamoto should be leaving camp around March 1, opening the chances for Jimenez more regularly.
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