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Chicago White Sox, prospect Eloy Jimenez agree to record-setting deal

By Connor Grott

March 20 (UPI) -- The Chicago White Sox are close to signing their outfielder of the future to a long-term contract.

Sources told the MLB Network and ESPN that the White Sox are finalizing a deal with highly-touted prospect Eloy Jimenez. The sides agreed to a six-year, $43 million contract Wednesday that includes two club options. The deal can max out at about $77 million, according to ESPN.

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The deal also contains a $2.5 million signing bonus. The team has yet to confirm the contract.

The 22-year-old outfielder was expected to start the season at Triple-A. The new contract likely pushes him into the middle of the White Sox's Opening Day lineup.

Jimenez's pending deal will set a new record for a player who is already in an organization but has never appeared on the MLB level, according to ESPN. Phillies infielder Scott Kingery was the second to earn a large deal before accruing any MLB service time. He signed a six-year, $24 million deal last March that also included three club options.

The first such deal came in June 2014 when first baseman Jon Singleton agreed to a five-year, $10 million contract with the Houston Astros.

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Jimenez is a consensus top-five overall prospect. He joined the White Sox in a trade that sent All-Star pitcher Jose Quintana to the Chicago Cubs in 2017.

Jimenez split time between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte in 2018. He had a combined .337 batting average with 22 home runs in 108 games.

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