Despite returning from his injury layoff with a bang, Eloy Jimenez will not be starting the 2018 season in the major leagues.
As expected, he'll be heading to Double-A Birmingham, and that's where the White Sox sent their top prospect Wednesday as they made their latest round of spring roster cuts.
Jimenez finished last season at Birmingham, playing a handful of games there after being promoted from Class A. He slashed .353/.397/.559 with three homers and five doubles in 18 games with the Barons.
Out for a couple weeks, Jimenez returned to the White Sox spring lineup over the weekend, starting things with a pinch-hit homer against the Cubs, the team that shipped him to the South Side in last summer's Jose Quintana trade. Jimenez followed with another homer and a triple in Sunday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Monday, he picked up another hit and finished his four-game Cactus League season at 4-for-7 with two homers, a triple, three RBIs, three runs scored and two walks.
Joining the No. 4 prospect in baseball in being optioned to Birmingham was pitcher Ian Clarkin, the No. 17 prospect in the White Sox system. Outfielders Micker Adolfo and Luis Basabe, the White Sox Nos. 11 and 14 prospects, were optioned to Class A Winston-Salem. Pitcher Dylan Cease and catcher Zack Collins, the team's Nos. 5 and 9 prospects, were assigned to minor league camp. Outfielder Daniel Palka and infielder Jose Rondon were optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. These moves have the White Sox at 45 players in big league camp out in Glendale.