Prospect of Interest: Blue Jays make Arjun Nimmala highest-drafted Indian American

The Toronto Blue Jays chosen 17-year-old shortstop Arjun Nimmala with the twentieth general choose within the first spherical of Sunday’s MLB Draft.

One of the very best tales within the 2023 Draft, Nimmala turned the highest-selected first-generation Indian American and is seeking to change into the primary participant of Indian descent to play Major League Baseball.

Nimmala was one of many highest-touted highschool hitters within the draft, coming off a 2022-23 season by which he received the Gatorade Florida Baseball Player of the Year whereas taking part in at Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Fla. He was additionally an Under Armour All-American and first-team All-Conference choice.

In one of many deepest drafts in latest reminiscence, the Blue Jays had been in a position so as to add MLB Pipeline’s No. 11 prospect with the twentieth choose.

Here’s what you’ll want to learn about Toronto’s newest first-round choose. 

Age: 17
School: Strawberry Crest HS (FL)
Position: Shortstop
Commitment: Florida State
Height: Six-foot-one | Weight: 170 lbs
Scouting grades (Per MLB Pipeline): Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55
2023 Stats: AVG: .479 | 6 HR| 29 RBI | 30 Runs | .573 OBP | .904 SLG | 9 SB

Indian Heritage

Nimmala could be very happy with his Indian Heritage and grew up taking part in cricket each at dwelling in Florida and on journeys again to go to household and associates in India.

At the MLB Draft Combine, the latest Blue Jay spoke about what it means to him to characterize his household’s historical past.

“That means a lot. There’s not many Indian American players in the big leagues,” he mentioned. “For Indians, it’s principally cricket, and the transition to baseball has been loads.

“Hopefully, one day, I can inspire young Indian Americans to play and get more Indians into the sport.”

Nimmala informed MLB.com that his father pushed towards baseball searching for a sport just like cricket. Ever since, the 2005-born infielder has risen up the ranks — ending because the top-ranked highschool infielder in 2023. 

Scouting Reports

Nimmala has spectacular uncooked energy — greater than his six-foot-one, 170-pound would counsel attainable. 

At such a younger age, there’s, undoubtedly, room for him to develop and get larger and stronger as he joins the pro-ball ranks.

He was a consensus top-20 prospect within the draft, coming in at No. Eight in The Athletic’s rankings, No. Nine at Baseball Prospectus, No. 11 at each ESPN and MLB Pipeline and No. 17 at Baseball America.

According to MLB Pipeline, “Nimmala is all about projection. He calls himself a ‘patient-aggressive’ hitter and definitely doesn’t get cheated at the plate. He has at least plus raw power and can drive the ball to all fields, and while there are still some issues about his pitch selection and inconsistency in the quality of his at-bats that sometimes keeps him from tapping into that power, scouts are bullish about his offensive upside.”

On the defensive aspect of the sphere, prospect consultants consider he can stick at shortstop long-term.

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After being chosen on Sunday, Nimmala was interviewed on the MLB Network broadcast and was requested about what he must work on as he transitions into the Blue Jays group.

“I think I can work on all aspects of my game,” he mentioned. “Every aspect of my game, I feel, is very good, and I feel like I can improve on every part.”

There is all the time threat in choosing highschool gamers. For Nimmala, that threat possible lies in among the hit-tool questions and swing-and-miss in his recreation. As pitching improves at every stage, swing-and-miss is normally magnified when going through higher stuff and extra skilled arms.

But Nimmala’s profile is pretty much as good, if not higher, than you’ll be able to ask for on the twentieth choose and as a 17-year-old, he could have a lot of time to develop and develop with the Blue Jays. 

Player Comparisons

Nimmala has hung out coaching with New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor — who he additionally known as his favorite participant.

He usually attracts comparisons to the four-time all-star defensively, With Baseball America saying, “he has the requisite actions and arm strength for the position. He’s a bouncy athlete who moves well to both sides and has solid hands” about his defensive chops.

But offensively, Alfonso Soriano has come up usually as a typical comparability.

Soriano was a power-hitting center infielder early in his profession who smacked over 400 dwelling runs over 12 MLB seasons.

In his pre-draft rankings, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel additionally talked about that scouts have seen Carlos Correa and Javier Baez vibes offensively.

While troublesome — and possibly unwise — to try to mission any newbie athlete, if Nimmala can emerge with a Soriano-like profile whereas sticking in at shortstop, he could have a really profitable profession.

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