| Leo Jiménez | |
| Team: | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Number: | 49 |
| Position: | Shortstop / Second baseman |
| Birth Date: | 17 May 2001 |
| Birth Place: | Chitré, Panama |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | July 4 |
| Debutyear: | 2024 |
| Debutteam: | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | August 3, 2024 |
| Stat1value: | .219 |
| Stat2label: | Home runs |
| Stat2value: | 1 |
| Stat3label: | Runs batted in |
| Stat3value: | 3 |
| Teams: |
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Leonardo Joel Jiménez (born May 17, 2001) is a Panamanian professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Jiménez signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent on July 2, 2017, receiving a $800,000 signing bonus.[1] He began his minor league career in 2018 with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, hitting .250 in 37 games.[2] He spent 2019 almost exclusively with the Rookie Advanced Bluefield Blue Jays, hitting .298 in 56 games.[2]
Jimenez did not play in game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] In 2021, he spent most of the year with the Single–A Dunedin Blue Jays, playing in 54 games and batting .316/.517/.381 with one home run and 19 RBI. On November 19, 2021, Toronto added Jimenez to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[4]
In 2022, he started the season with the High-A Vancouver Canadians. Jiménez was optioned to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats to begin the 2023 season.[5] In 94 games split between New Hampshire and the Triple–A Buffalo Bisons, he batted .270/.366/.401 with 8 home runs, 47 RBI, and 8 stolen bases. Jiménez was optioned to Triple–A Buffalo to begin the 2024 season.[6]
On July 2, 2024, Jiménez was promoted to the major leagues for the first time following an injury to Isiah Kiner-Falefa.[7] He made his major league debut two days later, starting at shortstop against the Houston Astros.[8]