Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

The switch-hitting Jimenez is a prospect to watch. It’s hard to keep your eyes off him.

He shows lots of hitting ability and some power, especially from the right side of the plate. He makes hard contact to all fields and possesses noticeable opposite field power. The teenage catcher projects to an average runner.

Behind the plate, he shows a high baseball IQ and an understanding of how to call a game. His blocking, framing and receiving skills continue to improve, and he has outstanding footwork. He projects to have an average arm, but he makes up for it in overall athleticism. His makeup has been described as off the charts.

Jimenez trains with Carlos Mota. The Tigers have shown interest in him.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

The Tigers didn’t have a big-name signing in the 2023 international market, but they delved into a deep crop of Venezuelan catchers and signed the switch-hitting Jimenez -- the No. 32 prospect on the international market according to MLB Pipeline -- for a $1.25 million bonus. The reviews from his early work in the Dominican Summer League suggested a sound investment, from a good eye at the plate to a good arm behind it. 

Jimenez is an athletic presence behind the plate and a respectable hitter at the plate, with a smooth, compact swing, good zone judgment and promising extra-base power. He was a bit passive at the plate early last season but settled into a good all-fields approach, though his ground-ball rate was a bit high. He’s a mobile catcher who can smother balls in the dirt. He has a quick release on throws to second.

The Tigers are thin on catching prospects below Dillon Dingler in their system, despite some teases over the last few years, so there’s an opportunity for Jimenez if he can continue to mature. He’s a long-term play, but his first taste of Minor League ball in the States should give a better idea of how far he has to go.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40

Venezuela has a strong reputation for producing Major League catchers, including Victor Martinez, Salvador Perez and most recently Francisco Alvarez. All five backstops ranked among MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 international prospects in the 2023 class hailed from that country, including No. 32 Jimenez. The 5-foot-10 catcher was Detroit’s most notable Jan. 15 addition this year, signing for $1.25 million. He has begun his career with a pair of Tigers affiliates in the Dominican Summer League.

The switch-hitter may be on the smaller side for a backup, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in athleticism. That translates solidly to the box, where he has done a solid early job of putting bat on ball with a compact swing from both sides. His early power is playing better from the left side, but that could even out with more reps against southpaws in the pros.

An average runner, Jimenez draws his best reviews for his work behind the plate. He exhibits impressive footwork that helps him move and keeps balls in front of him, and he receives the ball well at an early age. His overall arm strength is just average, but he makes up for it with his ability to jump out of the crouch quickly on steal attempts. There might not be a plus tool here just yet for the 17-year-old, but it’s a well-balanced foundation on which to build his budding career.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	05/03/2024	C Enrique Jimenez assigned to FCL Tigers from DSL Tigers 1.
	03/08/2024	C Enrique Jimenez assigned to Detroit Tigers.
	06/23/2023	C Enrique Jimenez assigned to DSL Tigers 1 from DSL Tigers 2.
	06/04/2023	C Enrique Jimenez assigned to DSL Tigers 2 from DSL Tigers 1.
	01/31/2023	C Enrique Jimenez assigned to DSL Tigers 1.
	01/15/2023	Detroit Tigers signed free agent C Enrique Jimenez to a minor league contract.