Get excited about Arjun Nimmala.
Arjun Nimmala was selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft (20th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Drafted out of Strawberry Crest High School the pick made him the highest-drafted first-generation Indian-American in any of the four major North American pro sports.
Nimmala has a very real chance to become the first position player of Indian descent in MLB history.
The Blue Jays haven't enjoyed much success in the draft since general manager Ross Atkins and president Mark Shapiro took over prior to the 2016 season.
Their list of failed first-round picks includes T.J. Zeuch, Logan Warmoth and Jordan Groshans, and it might have included Gunnar Hoglund and Austin Martin had they not been dealt elsewhere before their values cratered.
The only success story in the first round has been Alek Manoah, and the value he provided was almost entirely limited to the 2021-22 seasons.
Nimmala has the potential to break the mould and become the first homegrown star the Jays have produced since international signee�Vladimir Guerrero Jr and 2016 second-round pick�Bo Bichette, both of whom debuted in 2019.
Arjun was named the Florida State League Player of the Month for August, by Minor League Baseball in 2024.
Nimmala hit 296 with an .871 OPS and five home runs across his 22 games in August.
The 18-year-old's 29 hits and 53 total bases led the league.
The Tampa, Florida native had nine multi-hit games, including his first career three-hit game on August 1st at Daytona and a four-hit performance at Clearwater on August 20th.
The month continued a strong second half of the season for Toronto's first round draft pick in the 2023 draft.
In 49 second half games, Nimmala slugged 13 home runs and batted to a monster .912 OPS.
Nimmala, the youngest player on Dunedin's roster, is the first Blue Jay to be named the league's player of the month in 2024.
In Nimmala's 53 games at Single-A to finish the 2024 season, he hit .265 with 13 home runs and an .895 OPS, that unique swing and high follow through, consistently drove the ball in the air.
New York Mets superstar Fransisco Lindor and Nimmala are both represented by SportsMeter and their relationship goes back to the fall of 2022, when the agency invited a group of players to practice in Florida.
Lindor noticed that not only did Nimmala, who was entering his senior year of high school, possess a polished swing and immense tools, but he was also a bright and curious player.
"He has an ability to adapt to new things very, very quickly," Lindor said in an interview with Sportsnet's David Singh.
"You teach him something and he goes out there and puts it to practice right away. He gets it and I love that about him." "His arm is fantastic," said Lindor.
"He's got great range, super-fast, he can hit for power, he can hit for average, he's got a great eye.
Honestly, if he can improve everything at the same rate, he's going to be one of the best players in the Blue Jays organization.
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"I see him as becoming one of the faces of the franchise, for sure."
"I'm super excited for him and what the future is going to bring for him," said Lindor.�
High praise from Francisco Lindor is enough for Blue Jays fans to get exited about Nimmala coming through the ranks.
He's not expected to be big league ready till 2026, but in the meantime this fan will be watching very closely.
