The Chicago White Sox have officially signed Eloy Jimenez to a multi-year contract.

Introduction

The Chicago White Sox They have finalized an agreement with their promising young outfielder, Eloy Jimenez Though he has yet to make his major league debut, the White Sox have committed to him for six years, with a reported value of $43 million. Jimenez has the option to extend the deal for an additional two years, potentially increasing the total to $77 million.

Record Contract

Only three players in baseball history have been signed to a long term deal without having played a single game in the majors. The other two include Jon Singleton from the Houston Astros and Scott Kingery from the Philadelphia Phillies . The contract for Eloy Jimenez is nearly double the amount that Kingery has received from the Phillies, showcasing the significant trust the Chicago White Sox have in this young outfielder as he is expected to play a crucial role in their upcoming seasons.

Background

Hailing from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Eloy Jimenez stands at 6 feet 4 inches and weighs 205 pounds. At just 22 years old, he throws and bats right-handed, primarily taking the position in right field. Renowned for his gap-to-gap power , speed, and understanding of the game, he is regarded as a well-rounded player.

As reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, “Jimenez is widely recognized as a top-five overall prospect , acquired by the White Sox in a cross-town deal that saw pitcher Jose Quintana traded to the Chicago Cubs back in 2017. Across different minor league levels, Jimenez has excelled, hitting .311/.359/.519 with 65 home runs and 281 RBIs in 408 games.”

Despite this, the White Sox optioned him to Triple-A this spring, citing that he required further development before joining the major leagues. However, the real reason was clear: by sending Jimenez down for approximately three weeks, the White Sox aimed to prevent him from accruing a full year of service time this season, effectively postponing his free agency for another year.”

White Sox Team

The Chicago White Sox are cultivating a promising roster filled with young talent. They have several players they are keen on developing into effective major leaguers. Infield star Yoan Moncada and pitcher Lucas Giolito are poised to become All-Stars even in the early stages of their careers.

Arguably, the standout player for Chicago is first baseman/designated hitter Jose Abreu , who has a remarkable career batting average of .295, along with 146 home runs and 488 RBIs throughout his tenure in the league. Major League Baseball Sadly, one of their top pitching prospects, Michael Kopech , is set to miss the entire 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his elbow.

Source:

"ChiSox, Jimenez finalize landmark contract\" , Jeff Passan, espn.com, March 20, 2019

Written by: David Green