Toronto signed Eloy Jimenez to a minor-league deal after he hit .278/.335/.397 in 40 Triple-A games this year. He last appeared in a minor-league game on July 1 and was released by the Rays on July 11, making the contract a low-commitment flier. Jimenez has power metrics from 2024, including a 49% hard-hit rate and a 92 mph average exit velocity, both in the 90th percentile. Durability remains a concern; he has never exceeded 122 games in a season and posted a .626 OPS across 98 games last year. The signing provides depth and a potential hitting-coach project.
Jiminez has never played more than 122 games in a season, and that came in his debut year, when he ended up fourth in rookie of the year voting after putting up an OPS of .828. Last year saw him play for both the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox, but he only hit the field for 98 games and ended up slashing .238/.289./.336 with a .626 OPS.
For the entirety of this year's campaign, Jiminez has played down in Triple-A Durham, although he was cut loose by the Rays on July 11th, meaning this deal is a flier for the Jays. Jiminez still possesses some power, seen by his barrel rates and exit velocities from 2024. Last season, his 49% hard-hit rate ranked in the 90th percentile across the majors, and his average exit velocity also sat in the 90th percentile at 92 mph.
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