Indian-origin prodigy Arjun Nimmala talks about his family traditions and faith as he walks into the MLB draft

Balu Nimmala arrived in the United States in 2001 in pursuit of employment and a brighter future for his family. In 2005, just in time for the birth of their first son, Arjun Nimmala, they made the trip from Puerto Rico to Florida.

Little did they realize that, as he waited to hear his name called on July 9 in the first round of the 2023 draft, he would become a real-life baseball embodiment of the American dream. Balu noticed his older son's early hand-eye coordination when the kids started playing baseball. Like countless other immigrants over the years, he believed that the game might help his first-generation American children fit in more.

Arjun is very devoted and believes in the energies of the Gods. With that faith, he walks into the MLB draft season.

The 17-year-old said:

“My Indian heritage, like with the gods, and back there. I pray to God before a game, it’s always been there, and it’s going to stay. I’m really, really proud of my Indian background.”

In addition to trying to achieve something extremely tough by making it to the major leagues, he will also represent a much broader community.

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Arjun Nimmala's MLB draft journey

One of the top high school prospects for the MLB draft in 2023 is Arjun Nimmala. His ancestors are concentrated in the Andhra Pradesh state, while Nimmala's parents are natives of India.

Arjun Nimmala competed as a shortstop for four years on the baseball varsity team at Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Florida. He played in just seven games as a freshman, hitting .188 with four RBIs and a .466 OPS.

Arjun Nimmala, an Indian-origin player

The following season, Nimmala made significant progress. He participated in 27 games, hitting .400 with 30 RBIs, 15 steals, and an OPS of 1.032.

In the 2023 MLB draft, Arjun Nimmala is rated as the fourth-best high school prospect and the 11th-best overall prospect. Nimmala has been set on joining the Florida State Seminoles since his first year of high school.