White Sox top prospect Eloy Jimenez: ‘I’m beyond ready’ for major-league call-up

White Sox top prospect Eloy Jimenez has been fascinated with Chicago since he was 11. His travel baseball team would play tournaments in the city.

“I honestly look at the city of Chicago as a place that God brought into my life for a special reason,” Jimenez wrote in a Players’ Tribune article published Thursday. “A place where He has wanted me to be even from the time that I was a little kid running around back in the DR.”

Right now, it’s not a matter of if but when. And Jimenez is eagerly awaiting his major-league call-up, which he believes he’s “beyond ready” for — a sentiment he has been expressing since he spoke to the Sun-Times in June.

Jimenez has been hugely successful in the minors this season. After starting in Class AA Birmingham, Jimenez got promoted to Class AAA Charlotte in June. Since then, he’s hitting .347 with 11 home runs and 28 RBI in 45 games with the Knights.

Less than 24 hours after top pitching prospect Michael Kopech made his major-league debut, Jimenez expressed how excited he is to receive his own call-up.

“Chicago, I’m ready! Right now. I’m ready to go,” Jimenez wrote. “I’m ready to put on that White Sox uniform and show you all what I can do.

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“I want to be someone White Sox fans can be proud of. And, well, what can I say: I want to hit bombs. Lots and lots of bombs.”

The Sox are being tight-lipped about when they plan to bring up Jimenez. It could be in September, or it could be after April 15, which would give the team an extra year of contract control.

“I have spoken on this topic numerous times already and really have nothing new to add at this time,” general manager Rick Hahn said in an email. “I promise to discuss it once again once we’re ready to announce the plan for the remainder of the 2018 season.”

This much we know: Jimenez has big plans.

“I want to help bring White Sox fans another World Series trophy,” he wrote. “Or, even better yet, a few of them.”

Contributing: Daryl Van Schouwen