The Tampa Bay Rays signed designated hitter Eloy Jimenez and infielder Coco Montes to minor league contracts on December 23.
Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported that Jimenez had signed a minor league contract.
Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital in the Dominican Republic reported if Jimenez makes the team, he will receive $2 million guaranteed, plus a $2 million bonus if he reaches 500 at-bats in the 2025 regular season.
Jimenez, 28, was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and has played six seasons in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox from 2019-24.
The one-time Silver Slugger Award winner was traded from the White Sox alongside cash considerations to the Baltimore Orioles on July 30, 2024, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Trey McGough heading to the South Side.
Jimenez was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain on May 22, 2024, before being activated on June 23, 2024.
Last season between the White Sox and Orioles, Jimenez played in 98 games, hitting .238 with 349 plate appearances, ripping 77 hits, doubles, six home runs, 23 RBI, 22 walks, 70 strikeouts, and a .626 OPS.
In Jimenez’s six seasons in the MLB, he played in 534 games with a lifetime average of .269 in 2,126 plate appearances, dialing 528 hits, 91 doubles, two triples, 95 home runs, 298 RBI, three RBI, 138 walks, 482 strikeouts, and a .780 OPS.
The Rays have five players on their depth chart that they will evaluate at the designated hitter position during spring training, with Jonathan Aranda, Christopher Morel, Richie Palacios, Brandon Lowe, and Josh Lowe listed.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported on December 23 that the Rays also signed utility player Coco Montes to a minor league deal.
O’Connell Sports represents Montes.
According to Topkin, Montes will have opportunities to opt out of his contract if he does not make the big league roster and will have the choice to elect free agency at the end of the 2025 season.
Montes, 28, was born in Miami. He was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 15th round of the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft and signed on June 13, 2018, after his junior season at the University of South Florida.
Montes did not make his MLB debut with Colorado until the 2023 season at home against the San Diego Padres on June 11, 2023.
Montes only played one season in the majors with the Rockies in 18 games with 41 plate appearances, batting .184, cracking seven hits, two doubles, one home run, three RBI, two walks, and 12 strikeouts prior to him being optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on July 3, 2023.
Colorado released Montes last season on June 25 before he explored other options to sign with another club.
He played in 64 games with Triple-A Albuquerque with a .335 average in 297 plate appearances, smacking 85 hits, 16 doubles, six triples, nine home runs, 47 RBI, five stolen bases, 37 walks, 54 strikeouts, and a .965 OPS.
The right-handed hitter signed with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan shortly after being released by the Rockies on June 27, 2024.
Montes played 48 games with the Yomiuri Giants and their farm team during the 2024 season, hitting .282 with 164 plate appearances, 44 hits, 15 doubles, one home run, 16 RBI, seven walks, and 21 strikeouts.
In his international career, Montes has played in the winter leagues with the Aguilas de Mexicali in Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico in the 2022-23 season, the Aguilas Cibaenas in LIDOM during the 2023-24 season, and last year in Japan in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Yomiuri Giants in the 2024 regular season.
During his three seasons in the international leagues, Montes has played in 108 games with 408 plate appearances, batting .274, 103 hits, 24 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 35 RBI, seven stolen bases, 24 walks, 63 strikeouts, and a .689 OPS.
Montes will be evaluated closely by the Rays scouting department and front office during spring training since he played outfield last season in Japan and also can be serviceable in the middle infield and third base.
The Rays will play their first game of the 2025 Grapefruit League season against the New York Yankees on the road at George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., at 1:05 p.m. EST prior to opening up the regular season against the Rockies at home on March 28 at 4:10 p.m. EDT.
The Rays still have to devise a plan on where their home venue will be for the 2025 season due to Hurricane Milton wrecking the roof of Tropicana Field on October 9 and water damage inside the dome.
According to Curt Anderson of the Associated Press, on November 14, The city of St. Petersburg, which owns the Trop, released an assessment of the damage and repair needs that estimated the cost at $55.7 million if it is to be ready for the start of the 2026 season.
Tampa Bay ended the 2024 season in fourth place in the American League East Division with a record of 80-82. It will have a tall task coming into spring training in Port Charlotte, Fla., without a confirmed home ballpark for the 2025 regular season under manager Kevin Cash.
Photo from Wiki Commons
