Leo Jiménez

Panamanian baseball player (born 2001)

Baseball player

Leo Jiménez
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 49
Shortstop / Second baseman
Born: (2001-05-17) May 17, 2001 (age 23) Chitré, Panama
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 4, 2024^[a], for the Toronto Blue Jays
MLB statistics (through August 24, 2024)
Batting average	.227
Home runs	3
Runs batted in	10

Teams
Toronto Blue Jays (2024–present)

Leonardo Joel Jiménez (born May 17, 2001) is a Panamanian professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.

Career

Jiménez signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent on July 2, 2017, receiving a $800,000 signing bonus.^[2] He began his minor league career in 2018 with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, hitting .250 in 37 games.^[3] He spent 2019 almost exclusively with the Rookie Advanced Bluefield Blue Jays, hitting .298 in 56 games.^[3]

Jimenez did not play in game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[4] In 2021, he spent most of the year with the Single–A Dunedin Blue Jays, playing in 54 games and batting .316/.517/.381 with one home run and 19 RBI. On November 19, 2021, Toronto added Jimenez to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.^[5]

In 2022, he started the season with the High-A Vancouver Canadians.^[3] Jiménez was optioned to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats to begin the 2023 season.^[6] In 94 games split between New Hampshire and the Triple–A Buffalo Bisons, he batted .270/.366/.401 with 8 home runs, 47 RBI, and 8 stolen bases. Jiménez was optioned to Triple–A Buffalo to begin the 2024 season.^[7]

On July 2, 2024, Jiménez was promoted to the major leagues for the first time following an injury to Isiah Kiner-Falefa.^[8] He made his major league debut two days later, starting at shortstop against the Houston Astros.^[9]

Notes

^ Jiménez made his MLB debut on July 4, 2024. On August 26, 2024, he appeared in the resumption of a suspended game that had begun on June 26, 2024.^[1] As all MLB statistics are recorded on the date that a game started, Jiménez has MLB statistics with a June 26 date.

References

^ Abraham, Peter (August 26, 2024). "You thought you've seen everything in baseball? Danny Jansen just played for Red Sox and Blue Jays in the same game". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
^ "Sources: Blue Jays make 2 key int'l deals". MLB.com. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Leo Jimenez Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season shelved". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
^ "Jimenez, 3 others shielded from Rule 5 Draft". mlb.com. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
^ "Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Sent to MiLB camp". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
^ "Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Sent to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
^ "Toronto Blue Jays place Isiah Kiner-Falefa on injured list". ESPN.com. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
^ "Blue Jays SS Bo Bichette scratched with forearm bruise". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.