Blue Jays' Arjun Nimmala turning heads in Vancouver
Photo credit: https://theprovince.com/sports/baseball/vancouver-canadians-shortstop-arjun-nimmala-is-belting-homers-indian-heritage
Toronto Blue Jays top prospect Arjun Nimmala embracing next steps with the Vancouver Canadians. Nimmala is South-Asian proud, and he's belting homers.
Vancouver Canadians shortstop Arjun Nimmala is a 19-year-old who is the Toronto Blue Jays' best prospect, and he speaks as passionately about being a role model as he does about trying to climb his way to the big leagues one day.
The Blue Jays opted to challenge Nimmala this spring, by promoting him from Dunedin up to high-A Vancouver, where he's off to a .326/.383/.558 start through 10 games with the Canadians.
There is still lots for him to work on, and now, he's intent on attacking every part of his game. And while there was a case for him to perhaps start in Dunedin and cement his gains while avoiding the early spring cold and rain in the Pacific Northwest, Nimmala was all for the push.
«Challenge is always best, honestly. I love that we do that in our organization,» he says. «Last year, personally I thought they made the right decision with Dunedin out of the gate. Of course, it was a little bit of a challenge, but that's kind of the guy I am. I'm never one to back down, whether it's offensive struggles, defence, anything.
«I'll always take the challenge.»
«I've always been a mentally strong guy, but I can say that because I've never had to deal with failure,» he explains. «A lot of guys don't deal with failure until they to get to this type of level, so that was the first time. Just understanding that, hey, I'm good, I'm the best player out here, I'm not going to say that to anyone, but that's my thought, I'm the best player out here, I can hang with anyone. So just knowing I have the ability to play at the highest levels and trusting that ability to play.»
At the same time, Nimmala worked on some subtle changes at the plate, adjusting the set up with his hands to create a quicker and more efficient path to the ball, while also building the muscle memory to get him into his back hip without a conscious thought.
«Small tweaks that ultimately helped me get in a better position to get to my strengths,» he explains. «A lot of it was feel-based, like, what feel helped me do this without having to think about it too much, what allowed me to do what I'm naturally good at without having to overdo it.»
Nimmala demonstrated that while playing in six Grapefruit League games for the Blue Jays, highlighted by the way he turned around a 96.3 m.p.h. fastball from Pirates righty Yohan Ramirez and launched it at 105.6 m.p.h. off the netting beyond the LECOM Park outfield walkway.
He also hit a double during a Feb. 28 start at the New York Yankees, while capitalizing on the opportunity to pick the brains of the Blue Jays players around him.
«I'm always a curious guy, like, where are you playing this guy, what's your approach. There are a lot of different things in the game that as a kid in high school, you don't really do, like scouting reports or positioning,» he says. «So asking questions about what approaches they have, what their thought process is off the field, defence, offence, all those types of things. That's something that has always intrigued me. There's a reason why they're the best.»
Nimmala was born and raised in Florida. His parents Balu and Neeru Nimmala had moved to the U.S. from India, and Arjun talks readily about wanting to help pave a path for youngsters with similar backgrounds.
Athletes of Indian descent in North America's big four pro team sports are few and far between.
We've seen it in hockey with the likes of Vancouver Canucks farmhand Arshdeep Bains.
Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker was pegged as the first player with Indian roots to appear in the big leagues when he debuted last season.
«I was born to Indian parents and I'm very proud of that background,» Nimmala said ahead of batting practice at the Nat earlier this week. «They're very proud of their Indian backgrounds and I'm carrying that on, too, while also being proud to be an American.
«It's my heritage. It's very important to me because it's who I am. It's my identity. I am Indian. That's something I'm very proud of and I'm going to do my very best to show everyone who I am.
«I didn't know much about Vancouver prior to the draft, but I am here now and I understand that there's a large Indian population. Toronto is similar. I'm excited. Hopefully, I can show people what can be done - American-Indian, Indian, whatever. You can play sports at a high level, you can follow your dreams.»
Nimmala is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound right-handed hitter the Blue Jays selected out of Strawberry Crest high school in Dover, Fla., with the No. 20 pick in the 2023 MLB amateur draft. He received a $3-million signing bonus from the club.
His 17 home runs in 90 games last summer (he hit 16 in 83 games with single-A Dunedin) led all minor leaguers age 18 or younger.
There was always a chance the Blue Jays were going to assign him to Vancouver, but it wasn't a certainty when the C's announced their game-day promotions schedule in February.
The team's South Asian Heritage Night set for May 27 is a coincidence. It does have extra meaning to it now, of course.
«When I heard that they were doing a South Asian Night here, I thought, 'That's sick,'» Nimmala explained as a smile came across his face. «I'm definitely going to embrace that.»
MLB Pipeline had Nimmala as the No. 83 prospect is all the minors going into this season.
He carried a .333 average (13-for-39) - with four doubles, two home runs and three runs batted through nine games - into Vancouver's match-up with Eugene on Wednesday.
The power in his bat is what baseball people are the most excited about. Nimmala hit his first home run with the C's in Vancouver's third game, an April 6 visit to the Tri-City Dust Devils.
Vancouver play-by-play voice Tyler Zickel says It was the longest homer he has seen in five seasons of coming to Gesa Stadium in Pasco, Wash.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 18 | 87 ANSWERS Blue Jays' Arjun Nimmala turning heads in Vancouver How quickly will Arjun Nimmala move up in the Blue Jays farm system this year? | ||
| High 'A' Vancouver Canadians | 11 | 12.6 % |
| AA New Hampshire Fishercats | 32 | 36.8 % |
| AAA Buffalo Bisons | 44 | 50.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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