Jorge Jimenez is Coming Back to the Red Sox

Peter Abraham has tweeted that minor league third baseman Jorge Jimenez, who was taken by the Marlins in the Rule 5 draft, has been accepted back by the Red Sox.

Jimenez, 25, was drafted in the 15th round of the 2006 draft. After dominating competition in the New York-Penn League and California League, Jimenez struggled with his first exposure to AA pitching in 2008 before rebounding to post a .789 OPS last year.

If nothing else, Jimenez provides organizational depth at third base, and adds to the limited stores of players in the high majors who could potentially help the Red Sox this year. As a left handed bat with big splits against righties, he has the potential to work well in a platoon situation.

To keep Jimenez, the Marlins would have had to keep him on their 25-man roster for the entire season. For their trouble, the Red Sox will get to keep $25,000 of the $50,000 the Marlins had to pay for the pick. He has only managed a line of .167/.286/.278 in 18 at bats this spring, and will likely start the year with the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox.