Red Sox: 2018 Spring Training Non-Roster invitee snubs
By Hunter Noll
Dedgar Jimenez
Baby Bartolo! I love watching this guy pitch. He’s one of those pitchers with a simple game that just seems to know how to work the mound and the plate.
Despite that, Dedgar Jimenez has been constantly overlooked and even criticized over the years. The 21-year-old shut everyone up in 2017 though. He posted a 3.02 earned run average between Advanced-A and Double-A.
The right-handed pitcher posted a 1.25 WHIP while opponents hit .257 against him. He also only walked 41 players in 146 innings. This all accumulated to an absurd 15-3 record.
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He doesn’t have the “ideal” frame and doesn’t possess any frighteningly dominant pitches. Those are the clear reason why people didn’t seem to believe in him. Jimenez does have great command of all his pitches though, which makes him extremely dangerous. He can go to any of his pitches when needed, and that variety helped him all 2017.
Jimenez followed up a fantastic first year in the Red Sox farm system in 2013 with another strong showing in 2014. 2015 and 2016 were hiccups for the intriguing prospect, but last season was the obvious click moment. Everything seemed to come together and the Venezuela native found his stride.
2018 could be another major step for the fast-rising Jimenez, and Spring Training should’ve been the appetizer.