Who is Arjun Nimmala? A closer look at Indian-American slugger aspiring to leave a lasting MLB legacy

At 17 years old, Arjun Nimmala has already made history. He was drafted as the 20th pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and is the first-ever first-generation Indian-American to be drafted so prominently in any of the four major sports.

His parent immigrated from India, and Nimmala primarily played cricket. His father saw how similar baseball and cricket were, so he signed Arjun up for Little League, and the rest was history.

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Arjun Nimmala quickly fell in love with baseball and aspired to be a pro from a young age. His passion for the sport cannot be understated.

He became a standout shortstop at Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Florida. During his senior year, he hit .479 with six home runs, 29 RBIs, and 30 runs scored.

Arjun Nimmala is looking to be a difference-maker for the Blue Jays

Arjun Nimmala has impressed many on his journey, including New York Mets star Francisco Lindor. The two trained together before Nimalla's draft, as the pair share the same agent.

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He originally committed to playing baseball for Florida State University but decommitted once he was drafted. After being drafted so high, going to college would have been a gamble.

Despite his young nature, Nimmala has already figured out his hitting approach. He can easily drive the ball to all sides of the field and shows signs of great power to come as he ages.

Not only does he shine at the plate, Nimmala has a great glove and is a threat on the basepaths. During 77 games in high school, he only committed 15 errors while stealing 31 bases.

The future is bright for this young slugger. If he can develop into the player many believe he can, he will leave a last impression on the game.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom