The Cubs added to their big day by signing the top ranked international free agent Eloy Jimenez. The dollar figures aren’t known, but it was reported earlier yesterday that he would sign for about $2.7 million. The Cubs also signed Jefferson Mejia yesterday for $850,000.
Top international prospect Eloy Jimenez has decided to turn down more money from another club to sign with the Cubs, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (on Twitter). Jimenez, a 16-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, is regarded as the top international prospect in this year’s July 2 class by both Baseball America and MLB.com. According to Sanchez, an announcement should come within the next few days.
At just 16 years of age, Jimenez is 6’4″ and 200 pounds, and Baseball America’s Ben Badler says that his average raw power and flat swing produce line drives — a combination that could lead to above-average home run power in the future. MLB.com raved about Jimenez in their Top 30:
“Considered the crown jewel of the Class of 2013, Jimenez has one of the best baseball bodies available this year and is considered to be the total package. The teenager has impressed scouts with his intelligence, plus-speed, and gap-to-gap power that is expected to improve as he grows into his body.”
Earlier in the day the Cubs signed Gleybar Torres for $1.7 million and Erling Moreno for $800,000. The Cubs landed a lot of talent in international free agency. It will be a long time before we see these guys at the big league level, though. It will be 2 to 3 years before we see them in the US.
Comments
Awesome stuff. 6’4″ 200 lbs and he is 16? Wow.
WaLiQuote Reply
Best I could find for a historical list based on $$. Basically, IFAs historically don’t look promising; sign a bunch and hope for the best.
exhoosier10Quote Reply
Just watching the recap of the game last night. Lulz.
joshQuote Reply
so jimenez signed with the cubs because he idolized sosa? anyone else think this is odd? sosa was already on a serious decline when this kid was only 6 years old….
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo wrote:
Must’ve seen his Pinterest
JonKneeVQuote Reply
It’s cool, though. If I could conjur up enough enthusiasm to actually watch baseball, I’d probably be following the A’s.
joshQuote Reply
@ EnricoPallazzo:
There’s a bit of a tape delay down to the island. Games from 1998 are just now reaching the DR.
joshQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo wrote:
I don’t mean to irresponsibly imply anything, and I like to think the organization’s going about things in an aboveboard way, but is there any chance what’s really going on is the Cubs paid the trainer more under the table than the other team offered? I know there’s a ton of corruption involved in the process, but I’m clueless on if it would manifest itself in something like this.
sitrick2Quote Reply
WaLi wrote:
EnricoPallazzo wrote:
He’s “16.”
GBTSQuote Reply
You know, we bitch a lot about the Chicago media, but holy hell, I can’t even imagine dealing with the New York Post on a daily basis:
Aisle424Quote Reply
I don’t think it’s that strange. A kid from the Dominican idolizing one of the best players from the country? Is it any stranger than some kids idolizing players who aren’t even that good?
dmick89Quote Reply
I just relapsed and shot up some optimism in my veins so apologies in advance…
…let’s say something crazy happens next year and we sign one of Ellsbury/Choo and Alcantara makes the team out of ST and Barney is shipped out this offseason. Then on 7/1 we are slightly over .500 and Baez is doing well in AA. Is it me or does this line-up look pretty decent if the rooks held their own?
C Castillo
1B Rizzo
2B Alcantara
SS Castro
3B Baez/Valbuena
LF Soriano
CF Dejesus/Sweeney/BJax/Lake
RF Choo/Ellsbury
JonKneeVQuote Reply
@ JonKneeV:
Pitching next year is the big question mark for me.
joshQuote Reply
josh wrote:
I just don’t see Theo trading Garza so a low level prospect. I would think he’d want pitching in AA or AAA. Or of course we sign him to a 3-4 year extension.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
JonKneeV wrote:
I’m not.
RynoQuote Reply
If Nolasco is that available, I’m sure the Cubs are scrambling to acquire Matt Cain to set up a potential flip.
RynoQuote Reply
@ EnricoPallazzo:
What’s not to love?
http://pinterest.com/sammysosamr609/sammy-sosa-sammy-sosa-official-pinterest/
JonKneeVQuote Reply
@ JonKneeV:
Depends. What Castro takes the field next season? His projections are not all that good at this point (90 wRC+). Soriano’s is 95. Castillo’s is 86. Valbuena 88. Clay Davenport has Alcantara’s eqa well below average (.233). Rizzo’s is 120. Choo’s is 127. Davenport has Baez right around average.
That’s a below average offense with some potential (Castro, Baez, Rizzo, Alcantara).
dmick89Quote Reply
WaLi wrote:
Paedo.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Al’s no hitting coach, but Castro went just 1-5 again last night.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Suburban kid:
His season just gets worse every day he plays.
dmick89Quote Reply
The Cubs should set up one of those shadow companies like Loria did in Miami if they haven’t already. Then that company should buy a Korean team. The Korean team should compete against mlb teams for IFAs without the spending limits. Then when players get good the cubs buy them for whatever posting fees are needed to keep the operation running. Players the Cubs don’t want could be posted to other teams.
SVBQuote Reply
ayellon89 wrote:
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Suburban kid wrote:
Every time he doesn’t get a hit, that’s a two-hit swing.
GBTSQuote Reply
dmick89 wrote:
fair enough, it just seems a little odd that you would pick a guy whose best years occurred before you were old enough to remember as opposed to say robinson cano or albert pujols. or felix pie.
sitrick2 wrote:
yeah that was kind of my point…just wondering if there was some other payment involved here. don’t get me wrong – i definitely don’t give a shit either way. just curious.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
@ EnricoPallazzo:
i dunno. his dad and his trainers have probably been in his ear for years about how great Sosa was, and he’s the next Sosa.
I also think the Cubs have probably been building a relationship with him for months recruiting, showing off the new facility. If the team that offered more money was the Rangers, they may have been hiding their intentions to some extent because of their pool situation.
GWQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo wrote:
There are actually people who still idolize Babe Ruth. I know there were when I was a kid. I see what you’re saying, but maybe Jimenez met Sosa.
dmick89Quote Reply
@ EnricoPallazzo:
Assuming his age is correct. Sammy was only on the decline in retrospect. I’m sure the kid grew up hearing the legend of Sammy Sosa. Age 6 is prime time to start learning and falling in love with baseball. I idolized Andre Dawson and his best year was when I was 5, but the legend lived on long past his best years.
joshQuote Reply
Marmol ———-> DFA by LADoLA (dying laughing)
BerseliusQuote Reply
here’s one I missed yesterday
GWQuote Reply
@ josh:
I take it back, I was 8 or 9 (with the Cubs, that is). Still, given what Sammy did, I’m sure his family talked about him and told the kid to model himself after him.
joshQuote Reply
[Obligatory SK idolizing Nap Lajoie at the same age joke]
GBTSQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Wasn’t the plan to stash him in the minors? Maybe this is a part of that?
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
When you’re a kid, you don’t have as much of a concept of decline anyway. And you’re probably not paying nearly as close attention as we do to the team. I’m sure that as far as most 6 year olds in Chicago know, Starlin Castro is an All-Star this year.
BerseliusQuote Reply
New Shit
MylesQuote Reply
Berselius wrote:
Yep.
NapErnie was my favorite when I was six or seven because he was the great Ernie Banks I always heard about. I didn’t know he was on his last legs and a shadow of his former self. I was shocked when he retired since he was the best player they had as far as I always assumed.Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
I don’t think you really even understand what a good player is when you’re a kid. I loved Shawon Dunston and I was 10 when he reached the big leagues. Oddibe McDowell was one of my favorite players after seeing him in the Olympics. I don’t know that I ever saw him play after that. Oil Can Boyd was another favorite. I wish I could say it was because he was good. It was probably the name. I also was a huge fan of George Brett, but he was really good at baseball. My 14 year old nephew is a Pirates fan and his favorite players are Andrew McCutchen (good choice) and every one in the Pirates bullpen (not a good choice). I don’t have the heart to tell him that relievers aren’t very good pitchers. He’s a kid.
dmick89Quote Reply
Lynn McGlothen was my favorite Cub pitcher for a long time because he pitched in my first game at Wrigley.
Aisle424Quote Reply