Arjun Nimmala Stats & Scouting Report

AB	232
AVG	.267
OBP	.351
SLG	.483
HR	10

Full name Arjun Nimmala
Born 10/16/2005 in Tampa, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Strawberry Crest HS, Dover, Fla.
Drafted in the 1st round (20th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023 (signed for $3,000,000).

View Draft Report

School: Strawberry Crest HS, Dover, Fla. Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: Florida State
Age At Draft: 17.7
BA Grade:55/Extreme
Tools:Hit: 50. Power: 55. Run: 50. Field: 55. Arm: 55.

Nimmala is one of the youngest players in the 2023 class and will still be 17 on draft day. He stood out as an underclassman for his impressive defensive aptitude in the middle infield, but as he’s added strength to his wiry frame, his tools have taken a jump and so has his draft stock. A 6-foot-1, 170-pound shortstop, Nimmala has plus bat speed and takes aggressive swings. He showed shockingly good raw power throughout the summer in batting practice for a player of his current size and physicality, with quick-twitch hands and a whippy bat that allow him to make impressive impact now, with plus raw power a possibility as he fills out. He generates impressive power with a quick turn, but his approach and contact ability need continued refinement. He expands the zone too frequently, and while he’s capable of driving both fastballs and breaking balls, he’ll also get too steep with his bat path and swing under pitches, as well as wave over them below the zone. He should stick at shortstop in pro ball, where he has the requisite actions and arm strength for the position. He’s a bouncy athlete who moves well to both sides and has solid hands, though he’s more of an average runner and often is slow to get out of the box and down the first base line. Some scouts who like him have placed Alfonso Soriano comps on Nimmala, as a power-hitting infielder. He’s committed to Florida State.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Track Record: Nimmala became the highest-drafted player of Indian descent ever when the Blue Jays selected him 20th overall in 2023. Just 17 years old at the time, he was the youngest high school player in his class. He signed for a below-slot $3 million. Nimmala began 2024 with Low-A Dunedin after a strong spring training performance. He hit just .167 with a 34% strikeout rate over his first 29 games. The Blue Jays sent him to extended spring and then the Florida Complex League, where he played eight games before returning to Dunedin on June 27. Over his final 53 games, Nimmala hit .265/.331/.564 with 13 home runs and 32 extra-base hits. Nimmala ended his season on a high note and looks poised to make the jump to High-A Vancouver in 2025.

Scouting Report: Nimmala is an above-average athlete with a thin, but projectable broad-shouldered frame. Due to his above-average bat speed and knack for backspinning fly balls to his pull side, he hunts for power. Over the first half of the 2024 season, Nimmala was out in front far too often, with a pronounced bat wrap. Upon his return, he made posture changes and reduced his bat wrap, allowing him to more consistently extend through contact. Nimmala will always have some swing-and-miss but shows above-average swing decisions. His above-average power is his carrying tool, while projection could get him to plus at peak. Nimmala’s exit velocity data is above-average for his age, and he’s adept at pulling the ball in the air. He is an average runner but shows above-average range in the field, with a good first step and strong actions and transfers. His arm projects as a future plus and is capable at shortstop.

The Future: Nimmala took a major step forward in the second half of the 2024 season and looks the part of a future power-hitting shortstop.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60.
BA Grade: 55/Extreme

Track Record: Nimmala became the highest drafted first-generation Indian player when the Blue Jays selected him with the 20th overall pick in 2023. They signed him for $3 million, or about 80% of slot value for the pick. As a youth, Nimmala played primarily cricket before converting to the baseball diamond. During his senior season at Strawberry Crest High outside Tampa, Nimmala was selected Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Florida and won the Wade Boggs Award as the best player in Hillsborough County. Nimmala made his pro debut in August in the Florida Complex League, playing in nine games and walking 14 times with eight strikeouts.

Scouting Report: Nimmala is a young, projectable infielder with plenty of tools to still develop. He has an average build that projects to add strength in the coming years. He shows at least average bat-to-ball skills with a simple righthanded swing that has a steeper path optimized for power. After often expanding the zone at a high rate as an amateur, Nimmala showed a more refined approach in his brief pro debut. He has natural loft in his swing that allows him to make his best contact in the air consistently. Nimmala possesses plus bat speed and his body should continue to get stronger in the coming years. He’s an average runner, but his quick footwork allows him to cover ground at shortstop, where his hands and actions are above-average. His above-average arm strength should be the final ingredient that allows him to stick at shortstop.

The Future: Nimmala has plenty of tools and showed more refinement at the plate in his brief pro time. He projects as a power-hitting shortstop with above-average defensive ability who, if he develops, could hold down the position in Toronto for an extended spell.

Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55

Draft Prospects

School: Strawberry Crest HS, Dover, Fla. Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: Florida State
Age At Draft: 17.7
BA Grade:55/Extreme
Tools:Hit: 50. Power: 55. Run: 50. Field: 55. Arm: 55.

Nimmala is one of the youngest players in the 2023 class and will still be 17 on draft day. He stood out as an underclassman for his impressive defensive aptitude in the middle infield, but as he’s added strength to his wiry frame, his tools have taken a jump and so has his draft stock. A 6-foot-1, 170-pound shortstop, Nimmala has plus bat speed and takes aggressive swings. He showed shockingly good raw power throughout the summer in batting practice for a player of his current size and physicality, with quick-twitch hands and a whippy bat that allow him to make impressive impact now, with plus raw power a possibility as he fills out. He generates impressive power with a quick turn, but his approach and contact ability need continued refinement. He expands the zone too frequently, and while he’s capable of driving both fastballs and breaking balls, he’ll also get too steep with his bat path and swing under pitches, as well as wave over them below the zone. He should stick at shortstop in pro ball, where he has the requisite actions and arm strength for the position. He’s a bouncy athlete who moves well to both sides and has solid hands, though he’s more of an average runner and often is slow to get out of the box and down the first base line. Some scouts who like him have placed Alfonso Soriano comps on Nimmala, as a power-hitting infielder. He’s committed to Florida State.