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Former star slugger attempting to find his way back to MLB with Toronto Blue Jays: report

Adam Laskaris
Adam Laskaris
|
Aug 29 2025, 3:41 pm
Former star slugger attempting to find his way back to MLB with Toronto Blue Jays: report
Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays appear to be bolstering their farm system with a former MLB star.

Dominican player Eloy Jimenez is attempting to find his way back to the MLB after the 28-year-old reportedly signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays.

The news of Jimenez’s deal was first reported by Dominican MLB reporter Mike Rodriguez and later confirmed by Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.

But according to the latter, don’t exactly expect Jimenez to be lighting things up in the majors for Toronto anytime soon.

“The Jimenez deal appears to be a move designed to provide medium-term organizational depth rather than short-term MLB impact,” Nicholson-Smith predicted.

What led Jimenez to the Blue Jays?

Jimenez has had quite the career arc during his time as a professional player. Back in 2013, he was among the top international free agents, being singled out as No. 1 on the list by MLB.com when he was just 16.

He spent the first 11 years of his career in the Chicago White Sox system, making his MLB debut in 2019.

Jimenez hit 31 home runs in his rookie season before being named a Silver Slugger in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, naming him the best designated hitter in the American League.

But outside of a strong 2022 campaign with a career-high .295 batting average, it has mostly been a slow decline for Jimenez after a strong start to his career.

Midway through the 2024 season, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles, spending just 33 games there before signing with the Tampa Bay Rays this past offseason.

Jimenez failed to crack Tampa’s Opening Day roster, however, and spent eight games with the organization’s Florida Complex League team while also playing 40 games for the Triple-A Durham Bulls. Dealing with an Achilles injury, he was released in July by Tampa, and hasn’t played since.

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