There are fast baseball players, and then there are the Gilberto Jimenezes of the world.
Jimenez, just 20 years old, is a potential five-tool player who is the top Boston Red Sox outfield prospect not named Jarren Duran. In fact, he might have an even higher ceiling than Duran, whose varied skill set includes elite speed.
Believe it or not, Jimenez is even faster than Duran. His incredible speed was on display Tuesday when he beat out a routine grounder during the low-A Salem Red Sox’s season opener.
(You can click here to watch the play.)
Now, that kind of play really only happens in the minor leagues, where poor infield defense routinely yields inflated batting averages. Nevertheless, the play showcases one of the many factors that makes Jimenez such an intriguing Red Sox prospect.
Should he get off to a strong start, Jimenez easily could advance to the high-A Greenville Drive by midseason. A promotion to Double-A Portland by the end of the year can’t be ruled out, but obviously will be dictated by Jimenez’s performance as he faces more advanced competition.
