In need of big 2023, Gilberto Jimenez off to a promising start
It wasn't long ago that Gilberto Jimenez was a top-five prospect in the Boston Red Sox organization.
A slight dip in production in 2021 wasn't too worrying, but it did raise some eyebrows. Then came 2022, with a massive drop in numbers. Jimenez didn't improve in any areas of his game, and his stats took a hit.
The switch-hitter set new career-highs in steals (20) and home runs (5). They came at a cost, though. He slashed .268/.306/.366 in High-A, all career lows. The .306 on-base percentage would have tied for his career-low batting average before the season.
Three years ago, Jimenez was a top-five prospect in Boston's system. Now he's not even top-30.
There are still certain things to love. Switch-hitting outfielders with elite speed don't just come out of nowhere. But all it took was one look at his roster placement to see where Jimenez stood in the eyes of the Red Sox brass.
Jimenez spent the entire 2022 season in High-A. He started the 2023 season in High-A. That felt like an indicator of his stock. A once highly-touted prospect repeating a "lower level" of the minor leagues doesn't have the best optics.
Safe to say, 2023 feels like a big year for Gilberto Jimenez. He needs to show something. It could be getting back to his high averages and lowering his strikeouts. Even something like improving his base running would be a good start. For how fast Jimenez is, his base stealing leaves a lot to be desired.
One thing is clear, though, something has to give. The Boston Red Sox minor league system has improved rapidly over the last few seasons. Jimenez has seemed to go in the opposite direction. He's in danger of getting buried. This isn't the Undertaker dumping cement on Paul Bearer, either. We won't be getting a surprise return in a few years. If Jimenez gets buried, it could spell a permanent end for him in the Red Sox system.
There is a small silver lining, though. We may only be three games into the year, but Jimenez is off to a strong start. He's 3-for-8 with two runs scored. We've seen him smoke a double down the line, as well as show off his speed with some good base running decisions (including advancing on passed balls multiple times on Tuesday).
Gilberto Jimenez was a top-five prospect for the Boston Red Sox as recently as 2020. Since then, the system has taken massive strides, but we haven't seen the same from the outfielder. 2023 is the most important year of Jimenez's Red Sox career. Luckily, it's off to a strong start.
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