Luis Jimenez Stats & Scouting Report

AB	75
AVG	.253
OBP	.317
SLG	.373
HR	2

Full name Luis Domingo Jimenez
Born 01/18/1988 in Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Colectivo Lucretia Diaz
Debut 04/12/2013

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Jimenez may not always look pretty, but he has been a productive offensive player who has hit for average and power at every level of the minors. He has solid raw power, though there are questions about how much he'll be able to get to it at the big league level. He takes an uppercut swing and gets pull-conscious, which limits his coverage of the outer half of the plate. The biggest thing holding Jimenez back is his pitch selection. He's a free swinger who doesn't walk much and chases borderline pitches instead of waiting for something he can drive. Despite having below-average speed, he has stolen at least 15 bases in each of the last three seasons. He takes pride in being an aggressive baserunner with good instincts. Jimenez has an average arm, but his footwork costs him accuracy on his throws and his limited range makes him a below-average third baseman. He's a good teammate, though Angels personnel have met with him to improve his focus on the field. Jimenez may get a chance to make his big league debut in 2013, but he also has Kaleb Cowart breathing down his neck at third base.
Jimenez conquered three levels of the minors in the past two seasons to earn a place on the Angels' 40-man roster in November. He lost the 2009 season to a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder but recovered to reach Double-A in 2011, where he played a career-high 101 games at third base. Jimenez smacked 18 homers and led the Texas League with 40 doubles, but scouts aren't convinced his power will play at higher levels because he's such a free swinger. He gives away too many at-bats now to project more than average power. He does have a quick, smooth stroke, makes enough contact and hits breaking balls well enough, so he should maintain a solid average. His plate coverage makes him dangerous in RBI situations, and he drove in 94 runs to rank second in the TL. Jimenez has recovered his arm strength, but he's a heavy-footed, fringy defender who makes only the routine plays at third base. He'll begin 2012 in Triple-A and could serve as a big league bridge from Alberto Callaspo to 2010 first-rounder Kaleb Cowart.
Jimenez led the Pioneer League with 15 home runs in 2008, when he also batted .331/.361/.630 for Orem in the thin Utah air. The PL is an extreme hitter's league, but he did rank among its youngest regulars at age 20. He didn't get a chance to build on his success, however, because he tore the labrum in his right shoulder and missed the entire 2009 season. While Jimenez returned to the field in 2010, he split time between third base and DH, never playing more than four consecutive games at the hot corner. If Jimenez makes the big leagues, it will be on the strength of his bat. He can hit fastballs and breaking balls, perhaps a bit too well, because he's convinced he can hit any pitch in any location. As a result he puts a lot of pitcher's pitches in play early in counts, and his bat doesn't play up quite as well as it could. He has average power if not overwhelming bat speed, and he could knock out 15-20 homers in a good year. Jimenez is an average defender with a solid arm, as well as a fringe-average runner with good instincts on the bases. He tweaked his arm toward the end of the season and didn't get in any defensive reps during instructional league. Given another two years to develop, he could become a high-contact, .280ish hitter with double-digit power and a solid glove at third. He should reach Double-A at some point in 2011.
Jimenez has won two home run titles in the last two years. He led the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League with 11 homers in 2007 and the Pioneer League with 15 in his U.S. debut last summer. He also topped the Pioneer League in doubles (28) and extra-base hits (49) as part of a core of Latin Americans who pushed Orem to the league finals. He generates power with bat speed and strength, and his frame easily has room for more muscle. While he has a quiet, balanced setup, he gets too aggressive and chases pitches out of the zone. He'll need more discipline at higher levels. Jimenez has decent athleticism and speed, and he shows a strong arm at third base. He injured his right shoulder diving back into a base on a pickoff play in early August, and spent the rest of the summer as a DH. He should be healthy for spring training and ready for an assignment to low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

After leading the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League with 11 homers in 2007, Jimenez added his second straight home run crown by hitting 15 with Orem in his U.S. debut. He also led the league in doubles (28) and extra-base hits (49) and was part of a core of Latin Americans who propelled the Owlz to the Pioneer League finals. Jimenez has a good body with present strength, though he still has room to fill out some more. He has a quick bat that generates plus power. Though he's quiet and balanced at the plate, he also has an aggressive approach that leads him to chase too many pitches out of the strike zone. When he swings at strikes, he squares up balls and uses the middle of the field well. "He seems to square everything up," Diaz said. "Even when he makes outs, he's hitting the ball hard." Jimenez is an asset at third base, where he has a strong arm. He spent August at DH while nursing a tender shoulder.