Canadians shortstop Arjun Nimmala, South-Asian proud, belting homers

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Vancouver Canadians shortstop Arjun Nimmala is a 19-year-old who is the Toronto Blue Jays’ best prospect, and he speaks as passionately about being a role model as he does about trying to climb his way to the big leagues one day.

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The No. 1 ranked minor leaguer in the Blue Jays’ system, according to MLB Pipeline, Nimmala was born and raised in Florida. His parents Balu and Neeru Nimmala had moved to the U.S. from India, and Arjun talks readily about wanting to help pave a path for youngsters with similar backgrounds.

Athletes of Indian descent in North America’s big four pro team sports are few and far between. We’ve seen it in hockey with the likes of Vancouver Canucks farmhand Arshdeep Bains. Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker was pegged as the first player with Indian roots to appear in the big leagues when he debuted last season.

The C’s are Toronto’s high-A farm club, and their opening homestand of the Northwest League season continues through Sunday at Nat Bailey Stadium, with the San Francisco Giants’ farmhands who make up the Eugene Emerald providing the opposition. Tickets are available at the team website, starting at $22.

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“I was born to Indian parents and I’m very proud of that background,” Nimmala said ahead of batting practice at the Nat earlier this week. “They’re very proud of their Indian backgrounds and I’m carrying that on, too, while also being proud to be an American.

“It’s my heritage. It’s very important to me because it’s who I am. It’s my identity. I am Indian. That’s something I’m very proud of and I’m going to do my very best to show everyone who I am.

“I didn’t know much about Vancouver prior to the draft, but I am here now and I understand that there’s a large Indian population. Toronto is similar. I’m excited. Hopefully, I can show people what can be done — American-Indian, Indian, whatever.You can play sports at a high level, you can follow your dreams.”

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Nimmala is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound right-handed hitter the Blue Jays selected out of Strawberry Crest high school in Dover, Fla., with the No. 20 pick in the 2023 MLB amateur draft. He received a $3-million signing bonus from the club.

His 17 home runs in 90 games last summer (he hit 16 in 83 games with single-A Dunedin) led all minor leaguers age 18 or younger. There was always a chance the Blue Jays were going to assign him to Vancouver, but it wasn’t a certainty when the C’s announced their game-day promotions schedule in February. The team’s South Asian Heritage Night set for May 27 is a coincidence. It does have extra meaning to it now, of course. 

“When I heard that they were doing a South Asian Night here, I thought, ‘That’s sick,’” Nimmala explained as a smile came across his face. “I’m definitely going to embrace that.”

MLB Pipeline had Nimmala as the No. 83 prospect is all the minors going into this season. He carried a .333 average (13-for-39) — with four doubles, two home runs and three runs batted through nine games — into Vancouver’s match-up with Eugene on Wednesday.

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The power in his bat is what baseball people are the most excited about. Nimmala hit his first home run with the C’s in Vancouver’s third game, an April 6 visit to the Tri-City Dust Devils. Vancouver play-by-play voice Tyler Zickel says It was the longest homer he has seen in five seasons of coming to Gesa Stadium in Pasco, Wash.

There is no official distance data readily available, but Chris Georges, who is on broadcasts alongside Zickel, guesses the ball travelled 430 feet.

“I thought it was farther than that,” Nimmala interjected. “It was hit pretty well. It’s in my top five ever.”

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Nimmala is going to fill out and get even stronger as he gets older. Right now, it’s bat speed that’s producing most of that pop.

“When I was a kid, I used to swing all the time — day, night, off a tee,” Nimmala reasoned. “Repetitive swinging like that has allowed me to have that bat speed.”

As good as he is at the plate, Nimmala maintains that he also expects to be an equal contributor in the field and on the bases. He has a example for that close at hand. Nimmala signed on with the player representatives SportsMeter when he was in high school, and the agency’s client list also features New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, 31, a four-time all-star who is one of the big’s most complete players.

Lindor and Nimmala connected initially through an agency-led off-season workout, and they have been training regularly in the winters in Florida ever since.

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“I’m feeding off that,” Nimmala said. “I’m not trying to become like him, but I’m trying to take things from him and embrace them as my own, and become the best I can be. There’s the preparation, the things that go into being that type of player … it’s huge, it’s amazing.

“Everything you see online and on social media about him is true. He’s a great person. He’s a genuine person. He’s always motivated me to be better.”

FORMER VANCOUVER CANADIANS IN THE BIG LEAGUES INCLUDE

Alan Roden, OF, Blue Jays (Canadians, 2023)

Mason Fluharty, LHP, Blue Jays (Canadians, 2022-23)

Davis Schneider, INF/OF, Blue Jays (Canadians, 2019, 2021-22)

Spencer Horwitz, INF, Pirates (Canadians, 2019, 2021)

Griffin Conine, OF, Marlins (Canadians, 2018)

Otto Lopez, 2B, Marlins (Canadians, 2018)

Riley Adams, C, Nationals (Canadians, 2017)

Cavan Biggio, INF, Royals (Canadians, 2016)

Lane Thomas, OF, Guardians (Canadians, 2015)

Ryan Borucki, LHP, Pirates (Canadians, 2014-15)

SEwen@postmedia.com

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