White Sox: Eloy Jimenez Key to ‘NextSox’ Success
White Sox could have a potential All-Star in the team’s current top prospect who was acquired last Summer in a trade with their crosstown rival.
It was one of the biggest moves of the 2017 season that sent a very special player over to the White Sox organization. The July 13 trade between the crosstown-rival Cubs that included All-Star Jose Quintana in exchange for four of their top prospects, including the organization’s top prospect, Eloy Jimenez. Even though he just turned 21 years-old this past November, his impact on the team’s future cannot be any more anticipated nor understated.
Jimenez is currently MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 top prospect and the White Sox No. 1 prospect. Jimenez has been highly rated since he hit the market back in 2013 when he was 17 years old. He has been said to be a premier, elite hitter with fantastic hitting skills and insane power.
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Many experts have already said to lock him in for 30 home runs every year because he has that kind of power. And when he’s knocking out stadium lights in home run derbies at 6’ 4” and 205 pounds, it’s hard to debate his potential. His MLB Pipeline profile even says he’s drawn a comparison to Giancarlo Stanton, this year’s 59 home run hitter, and National League MVP.
Now, this isn’t news to the White Sox because they traded away their ace to the team across town for this slugger. But what it does mean is that Jimenez could be in line to play a very significant part in the White Sox future run of success as not only of the team’s best players but one of the league’s most dangerous hitters.
Jimenez has been nothing short of great at every level he’s played in. Here are his numbers from Single-A to Double-A, including this season’s Arizona Fall League numbers:
Single-A 2016 w/Cubs: 112 Games / .329 AVG / .532 SLG / .369 OBP / 14 HR & 81 RBI
High-A Ball 2017 w/Cubs: 42 Games / .271 AVG / .490 SLG / .351 OBP / 8 HR & 35 RBI
High-A Ball 2017 w/Sox: 29 Games / .345 AVG / .682 SLG / .410 OBP / 8 HR & 21 RBI
Double-A 2017 w/Sox: 18 Games / .353 AVG / .559 SLG / .397 OBP / 3 HR & 7 RBI
Arizona League 2014: 18 Games / .368 AVG / .676 SLG / .443 OBP / 4 HR & 21 RBI
In over combined 200 games, he didn’t have a batting average under .270 and a slugging percentage under .490. Not only does he hit for a great average but he absolutely crushes the ball.
Jimenez has the opportunity to be a major run-producer and a major asset for the Sox even if he doesn’t reach his complete potential because his value reaches beyond paper. The Sox have an embarrassment of riches in the young pitching department and only have a handful of position player prospects in the minors. Along with Blake Rutherford and Luis Robert, Jimenez is one of the few players that are projected to be very successful hitters so his success is just that much more important for the team.
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At worse, Jimenez could be another Todd Frazier with great home run power. But if he does manage to be the next big thing, and the Sox reach the playoffs with his help and the rest of the other ‘NextSox’ (trademark pending), picture a playoff lineup in which Tim Anderson, Moncada and either Avisail Garcia, Jose Abreu or maybe even Manny Machado are right in front of a player with Stanton-like power – which could be Jimenez.