Toronto Blue Jays newcomer Leo Jimenez records first career hit against Seattle Mariners – TSN.ca

Toronto Blue Jays infielder Leo Jimenez, who made his MLB debut on July 4, recorded his first career base hit with a bloop single on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners. 

Jimenez, 23, was called up when infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa was placed on the 10-day injured list last week.

The No. 6 prospect on TSN’s Scott Mitchell’s annual Blue Jays prospect list went 0-for-1 with a walk in his debut before he was pulled for a pinch hitter against the Houston Astros last week.

Making his second career start, playing second base and hitting eighth against George Kirby and the Mariners, Jimenez connected on a slider just outside the zone and sent it over the second baseman’s head into the outfield. 

Jimenez hit .271 with seven home runs and 23 runs batted in over 57 games for the Buffalo Bisons in Triple-A this season. He held an impressive .416 on-base percentage thanks to 30 walks drawn in 226 plate appearances.

The native of Chitre, Panama, was excited to see Blue Jays All-Stars Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. when he was called up last week.

“It’s nice to be here, sharing a locker room with them and being able to talk to them a lot,” said Jimenez in the home dugout at Rogers Centre. “I never thought I would be in this position, being that close to them.”

Now, he can say he has a major-league hit against a pitcher who currently holds the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in MLB history.