Good Sports: Blue Jays Draft Arjun Nimmala
Only 17, Arjun Nimmala of Valrico, Florida, was one of the youngest players selected in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft. The Toronto Blue Jays used the 20th pick in the first round on the 6-foot-1, 170-lb infielder and gave him a $3 million signing bonus for his first contract.
The son of immigrants from Andhra Pradesh, Nimmala played cricket as a youngster before switching to baseball. Ranked 11th on MLB Pipeline’s Draft Top 250 prior to the draft, he’s known for his fast hands and powerful batting, as well as a unique followthrough.
“A lot of people think that it’s like a cricket finish,” Nimmala told MLB.com, “but for me that’s kind of natural and that’s me keeping an extension and holding the finish. It helps me keep my bat in the zone as long as possible.”
Nimmala is the second Indian- American drafted by an MLB team, following pitcher Kumar Rocker, who plays in the Texas Rangers organization.
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Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
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