How Eloy Jiménez’s hoop dreams turned to the diamond

By César Augusto Márquez

Glendale, Ariz. — There is a buzz upon arrival at Camelback Ranch, the spring training facility of the Chicago White Sox. The young Latinos, stars among the prospects and young talent assembled, are easy to spot during pregame workouts.

Of course, there’s Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada, who has been batting at leadoff this spring and looks to be making a solid play for that spot when the season starts.

Cuban Luis Robert has made a big splash — his late-inning grand slam against Cincinnati in a Cactus League game last week brought cheers from his teammates and drew the notice of team execs. The joy turned into concern when the Cuban sprained his thumb, putting him out of commission for about 10 weeks.

Also making an impact are Venezuelan outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe, Mexican outfielder Luis González and Brazilian right-handed pitcher Thyago Vieira, even if they are not slated to make the big league club this spring.

Then there’s 21-year-old Dominican Eloy Jiménez, whose story features a twist, one that could have had him in the midst of March Madness, not slugging it out in Glendale.

Jiménez certainly looks the part of a top prospect — he was rated No. 4 in the game by prognosticators at Baseball America and within Major League Baseball. The White Sox outfielder has the size, strength and requisite skills to be an outstanding power hitter.

Jimenez wrapped up the 2017 season with 19 homers, 65 RBI and a .312 batting average, playing 89 games with three minor league teams. He spent part of spring training sidelined with tendinitis in his left knee and was one of eight players assigned to minor league camp by the White Sox on Wednesday, but still made an eye-opening impression — slashing .571/.667/1.714 with two home runs and three RBI in nine plate appearances over four games.

But if it hadn’t been for his father, he most likely would be playing basketball today, suiting up for a college team seeking a berth in the NCAA Tournament with hopes of even reaching the NBA.

Hoop Dreams

“It was my first love,” Eloy said in Spanish during an interview with La Vida Baseball last week at Camelback.

“The big sport in my neighborhood of Villa Francisca in Santo Domingo is basketball,” Eloy said. “My father played, and I wanted to be like him. I played all positions and was a great fan of my neighborhood team.”

When he was 12, Eloy’s father, Luis Arturo Jiménez, surprised him with a request. He told his son it was time to switch sports.

“My father has always been a man of great vision,” Eloy said. “He told me that all the Dominicans who made it to the NBA first went to college in the United States and that I needed to look for another sport.”

Make no mistake, Eloy was no stranger to baseball. But the first time he had tried it, at age 9, it didn’t go so well.

“The first time I went to bat, I got plunked in the head,” Eloy said. “It scared me off and I refused to return to the ballpark for at least a month. My friends finally convinced me. And when I returned, I hit a home run. That’s when I started loving the sport more.”

natural at guard

Eloy is known for a quick bat and massive moon shots. He’s a hard worker who stays fit. At 6-foot-4, he also has the size to play shooting guard. And as the Big Dance approaches, you can bet that he’s keeping track of the action.

His favorite player, regardless of the arena, is Kobe Bryant.

“I admire and learn from many players, among them teammates like José Abreu,” Eloy said. “But after all these years, my idol remains Kobe. He’s definitely the best and, thanks to him, I’ve become a Los Angeles Lakers fan.”

On his bucket list: seeing a Lakers game — and, of course, to meet Kobe. What he’s learned from Kobe and other basketball players is how to play with intensity and drive; hardcourt lessons that can easily be applied to the diamond.

“My neighborhood always had a U-16 basketball team,” Eloy said. “One year, they made it to the finals and I saw with how much passion they played. I told my father that’s how I wanted to play for the rest of my life.”

Eloy even has an all-time Dominican five, a top 5 so talented that he leaves out the first two Dominicans to reach the NBA — Tito Horford from University of Miami, and St. John’s great Luis Felipe López.

• Al Horford, 6-10, Boston Celtics, center, Puerto Plata
• Karl-Anthony Towns, 7-0, power forward/center, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Jack Michael Martínez, 6-7, power forward/center, DR national team, Santo Domingo
• Manuel Fortuna, 6-2, guard, DR national team, Santo Domingo
• Juan Coronado, 6-1, guard, DR national team, La Vega

What about his father?

“I’m leaving him on the bench,” Eloy said, laughing. “My dad would be a real good coach.”

Joking aside, Eloy knows that baseball is his future and that to forge a legacy on the diamond might be harder than to carve one in the hardwood. Last season, more than 150 Dominicans played in the major leagues.

“Of course, I want to be someone in baseball,” he said. “I always want to represent with pride the Dominican Republic and my neighborhood of Villa Francisca. And I want my success to inspire those who follow me, just like those kids who got to the basketball final inspired me.”

Featured Image: Ron Vesely / Getty Images Sport