Arjun Nimmala makes history as 1st Indian American teen to be drafted by MLB
By Carl Samson
July 11, 2023
Arjun Nimmala, 17, became the first Indian American teen and second Indian American ever to make it into the Major League Baseball draft after being picked by the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.
About Nimmala: Nimmala, who originally played cricket, is a shortstop from Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Florida. Standing 6-foot-1, he describes himself as a “patient-aggressive” hitter. He ranked 11th on prospect rankings. In Sunday night’s first round, the Blue Jays selected Nimmala as 20th overall.
Why this matters: No Indian American has ever played in the majors. While Nimmala is the first teen to be drafted from the Indian American community, Kumar Rocker was the first player to do so back in 2021 at the age of 21 by the New York Mets and again in 2022 by the Texas Rangers.
The 20th pick comes with an approximate slot value of $3.75 million. Shane Farell, the Blue Jays’ director of amateur scouting, described Nimmala as “an overall tool package, combined with the age and overall upside of the player.”
What’s next: Nimmala is set to attend Florida State University this fall, but the Blue Jays nonetheless expect to sign him. If all goes according to plan, Nimmala will kick off his new journey with a two-week orientation at the team’s minor-league complex in Dunedin, which sits just about an hour away from his home.
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