Photo credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Leo Jimenez fighting for his roster life gives the Toronto Blue Jays a brilliant chance to build serious infield depth.
Watching our promising young players struggle with endless injuries last season was incredibly frustrating for everyone in the city.
The front office completely understands the urgent need for reliable bench pieces to protect our star starters over a long summer.
Arriving at camp in Dunedin always brings a renewed sense of hope for guys actively trying to rewrite their professional story.
We love seeing players scratch and claw for their spot instead of having it politely handed to them.
The 24-year-old Leo Jimenez (Signed as international free agent, 2017 by Toronto Blue Jays) arrived in Florida facing a massive career crossroads.
He is completely out of minor league options and must explicitly make the Opening Day roster to avoid being exposed to waivers.
The resilient infielder undeniably struggled last season while hitting a dreadful .069 over 18 major league games.
Nobody can ignore those painful numbers at the plate when evaluating his future.
But a completely healthy body changes everything for a young player still adjusting to elite pitching.
Manager John Schneider loves guys who bring absolute defensive versatility to the diamond every single day.
Elite defense never goes into a slump
Fans are absolutely thrilled to see management giving a homegrown talent every possible chance to win a permanent job.
His smooth glove is already big-league ready and can legitimately save tight games in the late innings.
Taking a calculated risk on his offensive bounce-back separates smart organizations from the rest of the pack.
He will soon leave camp to proudly represent Panama in the World Baseball Classic.
That intense international competition should perfectly accelerate his timing at the plate against top-tier arms.
The roster definitely needs a hungry utility guy who can seamlessly step in when the regulars need a breather.
If he rediscovers his confident swing, keeping him around becomes the easiest decision of the entire spring.
Let the kid show his worth and watch him become a secret weapon off the bench in Toronto.
Also read on Toronto Baseball Insider :
The Toronto Blue Jays unleashing surprising lineup against the New York Yankees
The Toronto Blue Jays unleashing surprising lineup against the New York Yankees
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 24|315 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays infielder at risk of being DFA'd Will Leo Jimenez earn a spot on the Blue Jays Opening Day roster? | ||
| Yes | 127 | 40.3 % |
| No | 188 | 59.7 % |
| List of polls | ||