Luis Jimenez (jimenlu02)

Luis Domingo Jimenez Rodriguez
(Lucho)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 205 lb.
• High School Colectivo Lucretia Diaz
• Debut April 12, 2013
• Final Game May 6, 2015
• Born January 18, 1988 in Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional D.R.

BR page

Biographical Information

Luis Jimenez made his major league debut in 2013.

Jimenez was signed by scout Leo Perez for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at age 17. He made his pro debut with the 2006 DSL Angels, hitting .284/.341/.473 in 25 games. As a starter for the same club in 2007, he improved to .313/.347/.531 with 16 steals in 20 tries, 11 homers, 49 runs and 55 RBI in 67 games. He led the Dominican Summer League in slugging.

Luis came stateside with the 2008 Orem Owlz, where his line read .331/.361/.630 with 57 runs, 28 doubles, 15 home runs and 65 RBI in 66 contests. He led the Pioneer League in home runs, extra-base hits (49) and doubles (tied with Roberto Lopez). He was 7 RBI behind Lopez, the leader, and .037 behind Lopez in slugging. He was third in average behind Lopez and Tyler Kuhn. He was named the league's All-Star third baseman, though Lopez got MVP honors. Baseball America rated him as the league's #5 prospect behind Wilin Rosario, Cutter Dykstra, Will Smith and Dee Gordon.

He missed all of 2009 due to surgery to repair a torn labrum. Returning to the diamond in '10, he hit .292/.332/.476 with 38 RBI in 43 games for the Cedar Rapids Kernels before moving up to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, for whom he batted .286/.324/.522 in 81 games. For the summer, he had 46 doubles, 9 triples, 84 runs and 81 RBI. He led Angels farmhands in doubles, second in the affiliated minors to Jacob Goebbert's 48. He was picked for the World Team in the 2010 Futures Game. In the 9-1 loss, he pinch-hit for Francisco Peguero to open the 8th and singled off Anthony Slama. He stayed in the game at third base and came to bat again with two on and two outs; batting against Tanner Scheppers, he flew out to Ben Revere to end the game.

With the 2011 Arkansas Travelers, he hit .290/.335/.486 with 40 doubles, 18 home runs, 15 steals in 21 tries and 94 RBI. He tied for 6th in the Texas League with 142 hits, led in doubles (6 ahead of Ryan Jackson), led in putouts at 3B (98) and was second in RBI (7 behind Matt Adams). Among Angels farmhands, he was second in doubles (one behind Paul McAnulty), was third in RBI (after Jeff Baisley and Kole Calhoun) and tied Matt Long for fourth in homers. He failed to make the TL All-Star team as James Darnell was picked at third base.

Jimenez remained productive with the 2012 Salt Lake Bees, hitting .309/.334/.495 with 38 doubles, 16 home runs, 17 steals in 24 tries and 85 RBI. He tied Chad Tracy for fourth in doubles in the 2012 PCL and was 5th in RBI (between Matt McBride and Jedd Gyorko). He also led the league's third basemen in fielding percentage (.947), putouts (90), assists (264) and double plays (29). Among Angels farmhands, he led in doubles (two ahead of Roberto Lopez), tied Lopez and Kaleb Cowart for fifth in home runs and was third in RBI (behind C.J. Cron and Cowart). He excelled for the Leones del Escogido in the 2013 Caribbean Series, going 7 for 14 with two doubles and a walk while splitting third base with Fernando Tatis. Had he qualified, he would have led the Series in average.

He played 8 games for Salt Lake to open 2013 (.367/.424/.567) then was called up to the Angels to replace J.B. Shuck. In his big league debut, he started at third base and hit 8th. He grounded out against Bud Norris in his first at-bat and finished the day 0 for 3. He went 7 for his next 13, though; his first big league hit was a double off Lucas Harrell.

Sources

• 2009-2013 Baseball Almanac
• 2010 Angels Media Guide

Related Sites

• Luis Jimenez on mlb.com