Leo Jiménez performed nicely after the Toronto Blue Jays referred to as him up.
That is Blue Jays Nation’s annual 40-man Roster Evaluation, the place we have a look at the gamers on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster. We’ll have a look at how the participant carried out in 2024, his season projections for the 2025 season, and any storylines heading into this coming season. On this article, we’ll have a look at Leo Jiménez.
One in all my favorite stat traces in baseball historical past is Jiménez’s 2021 season in Single-A. Signed within the 2017 Worldwide Free Company interval, the Panamanian shortstop posted an unbelievable .315/.517/.381 slash line together with his first profession dwelling run, a 21.1% stroll charge, and 21 hit by pitches in simply 242 plate appearances, with 4 further HBP in 20 rehab appearances.
After the season, earned Jiménez a spot on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster, however his energy additionally developed. In 2022, he hit six dwelling runs with the Excessive-A Vancouver Canadians and eight dwelling runs with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2023.
In 2024 with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, the shortstop slashed .270/.366/.401 with seven dwelling runs in 226 plate appearances. Furthermore, he had a 13.3 BB% and a 15 Ok%, giving him a 131 wRC+. After Bo Bichette went down with an harm, Jiménez turned a daily with the Blue Jays, primarily enjoying shortstop with just a little little bit of second base blended in.
Of batters with 100 or extra plate appearances on the staff, Jiménez was certainly one of simply 5 who had a wRC+ above 100, or common. The opposite 4 are Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Spencer Horwitz (traded), Isiah Kiner-Falefa (traded), and Justin Turner (traded). Jiménez slashed .229/.329/.358 with 4 dwelling runs in 210 plate appearances, with a 5.7 BB% and a 28.1 Ok%.
Nonetheless, Jiménez earned a free base the exhausting method, getting hit by a pitch 16 occasions, tied for the ninth-most within the league. That won’t sound like lots, however he did so in 210 plate appearances, with no participant greater than him receiving lower than 383 plate appearances. True to kind, Jiménez was hit by an extra 15 pitches in Triple-A earlier than his call-up.
Fangraphs’ Steamer tasks he’ll slash .236/.323/.360 with one dwelling run in 70 plate appearances for a 99 wRC+. Equally, OOPSY tasks Jiménez will slashing .235/.330/.343 with one dwelling run, whereas ATC has him slashing .234/.312/.353 with two dwelling runs in 102 plate appearances for a 93 wRC+. Apparently, OOPSY has him being hit by 4 pitches, probably the most of any projection mannequin.
At a sure level, it appeared as if Jiménez needed to earn a spot out of Spring Coaching, as he was out of possibility years. Nonetheless, early within the low season, it was reported that because of injury-filled seasons in 2021 and 2022, he’ll have an alternative choice 12 months which means the Jays don’t need to threat waiving him to ship him to Triple-A Buffalo.
That’s excellent news for the Jays, as their infield is full of younger expertise, equivalent to Will Wagner, Orelvis Martínez, Addison Barger, and others. The Jays wanted that flexibility. Nonetheless, Jiménez did greater than sufficient to earn a chance to win a spot out of Spring Coaching.
As all the time, you possibly can comply with me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.