Leo Jiménez

For the Spanish musician, see Leo Jiménez (musician).

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.

Leo Jiménez
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 49
Shortstop / Second baseman
Born: (2001-05-17) May 17, 2001 (age 24) Chitré, Panama
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 4, 2024[a], for the Toronto Blue Jays
MLB statistics (through August 3, 2025)
Batting average	.207
Home runs	5
Runs batted in	20
Teams
Toronto Blue Jays (2024–present)

Career

Jiménez signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent on July 2, 2017, receiving a $800,000 signing bonus.^[2] He began his minor league career in 2018 with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, hitting .250 in 37 games.^[3] He spent 2019 almost exclusively with the Rookie Advanced Bluefield Blue Jays, hitting .298 in 56 games.^[3]

Jimenez did not play in game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[4] 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.^[5]

In 2022, he started the season with the High-A Vancouver Canadians.^[3] Jiménez was optioned to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats to begin the 2023 season.^[6] 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.^[7]

On July 2, 2024, Jiménez was promoted to the major leagues for the first time following an injury to Isiah Kiner-Falefa.^[8] He made his major league debut two days later, starting at shortstop against the Houston Astros.^[9] In 63 appearances for the Blue Jays during his rookie campaign, Jiménez slashed .229/.329/.358 with four home runs and 19 RBI.

Jiménez was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo to begin the 2025 season.^[10]

Notes

1. Jiménez made his MLB debut on July 4, 2024. On August 26, 2024, he appeared in the resumption of a suspended game that had begun on June 26, 2024.^[1] As all MLB statistics are recorded on the date that a game started, Jiménez has MLB statistics with a June 26 date.