Imagine being a former top prospect, derailed by injuries, seriously considering walking away from baseball in 2025, only to suddenly find himself in talks to crack the Blue Jays’ Opening Day roster. Sounds like something out of a movie, but that’s pretty much the reality for Blue Jays minor leaguer Eloy Jimenez.

What makes it even wilder is the full-circle moment behind it all. Reportedly, Blue Jays manager John Schneider was there when Jimenez first exploded onto the scene back in 2016, and now he’s getting a front-row seat to his comeback. So, just as Schneider found success with a comeback of Max Scherzer last year, Jimenez might become the same storyteller this year.

“I was in a battle with my head because of the injuries. It was like, I need to be healthy first, then try to prove myself. But it was really hard. You know that you can do it, but your body is not responding to what you know you can do,” Jimenez says. “I was really, really close to retiring.”

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Well, Jimenez’s journey was as heartbreaking as his statement. Back in 2016, he burst onto the scene with a dominant Single-A debut for the Lansing Lugnuts under Schneider, with six hits in a four-game stretch. And reportedly, as per pre-2018 rankings, he and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were sitting side by side as MLB’s No. 3 and No. 4 prospects. So, there’s no doubt about Jimenez’s talent!

Notably, the White Sox noticed his talent and agreed to lock him up with a six-year, $43 million deal before he even played a single big-league game. And the man took no time to prove the Sox right. In his MLB debut season in 2019, he mashed his way to a .513 slugging percentage and crushed 31 HRs. So, no one ever questioned his bat. But the real concern was whether his body could hold up.

Unfortunately, injuries kept piling on. Hamstrings, adductor strain, ulnar nerve issues, and even a high ankle sprain pulled him further away from the field. And by the time 2025 rolled around, Jimenez was staring hard at the idea that it might be time to walk away from the game.

But heyyy, baseball had one more twist waiting. Eloy Jimenez gave it one last shot in the Dominican Winter League and absolutely owned it. He won the MVP honors after setting a record with 10 doubles in just 18 games. And guess what, more than anything, it gave him his confidence back.

That belief led to a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays, and Schneider, once again betting on a player he knew well, invited him to spring training. And if you’ve seen that 105-mph laser to left-center off Brayan Bello against the Red Sox, you can tell something’s different. The swing is loud. The belief is back. And just maybe, the Blue Jays have found a way to breathe life into a career that once seemed all but over.

Eloy Jimenez could manifest an MLB stint sooner than expected

Well, we are not concluding early on Jimenez because it’s still to be observed if his body is permitting the toll of minor league. But if that is all perfect, and considering what the man himself said about his health, we could manifest Jimenez’s early return to the MLB.

“Everything,” Jimenez says, if his current health is fine. “Yeah, just everything.”

What’s more on his side is the scope of more on-field positions and at-bats in the coming weeks. The Blue Jays have reportedly planned outfielding appearances for Eloy Jimenez this spring. And with Vladimir Guerrero going for the WBC, Jimenez will get plenty of first base stints to start on. So, while for the Blue Jays, it’s a great scope to review their bench strength and depth before entering the 162-game grind, for Jimenez, it’s racing against time to prove his worth.

So, surely Guerrero would take first base on Opening Day, and the Jays’ outfield is also sorted for now. But who knows what’s next in the long season ahead? A couple of injuries in the main roster and sustained health of Jimenez could turn the tables and bring him to the limelight.

The Blue Jays had already scripted a similar comeback story for Max Scherzer last year. Let’s see if they can repeat the same success story with Eloy Jimenez this year.