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Cubs prospect shatters stadium lights with Home Run Derby homer

Eloy Jimenez did something we thought could only happen in movies. (Screenshot via @jjcoop36)
Eloy Jimenez did something we thought could only happen in movies. (Screenshot via @jjcoop36)

That infamous scene in “The Natural” is no longer fiction. You know the one we’re talking about. An injured Roy Hobbs steps to the plate and hits a pennant-winning home run that shatters the stadium lights.

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Until now, you probably thought that moment was just reserved for the movies. Well, Chicago Cubs outfield prospect Eloy Jimenez made it a reality Monday night. During the Carolina League Home Run Derby, Jimenez hit a home run that shattered one of the stadium lights in deep left.

Pretty awesome, right? The fans seemed to appreciate it. You can hear them get loud after they realize Jimenez just broke some glass.

Even he seems a little surprised. After hitting two big blasts, Jimenez hits the next ball into the dirt near short. You can’t really blame him for being off his game for a moment, it’s not like that happens all that often.

As you might have guessed, a guy with that much pop has a ton of talent. Jimenez ranked 11th on Baseball America’s latest top-100 prospect list. The 20-year-old his hitting .278/381/.546, with seven home runs, over 97 at-bats this year. He’s easily the Cubs’ best prospect.

Because of that, he’s sure to be mentioned in trade rumors over the next month. The Cubs already have some talent locked up in the outfield, and could use a little help if they want to repeat last season’s success.

Jimenez’s value is already pretty high, but if the Cubs are looking to get even more out of a deal, all they have to do is make sure every team sees this video. Either that, or they need to find a way to convince Rob Manfred to let 10 hitters play the field.

The latter seems unlikely, though it’s probably preferred. Trading someone capable of emulating a player known as “The Natural” doesn’t seem like the optimal strategy.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik