Big thing coming for Toronto Blue Jays top prospect Arjun Nimmala
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Last spring, the Toronto Blue Jays opted to push shortstop Arjun Nimmala by assigning the 2023 first-round pick to Low-A Dunedin straight out of camp, even though he had just nine games of professional experience in the Florida Complex League.
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala embracing next steps in his professional development with the high-A Vancouver Canadians.
Shi Davidi of Sportsnet writes that after Nimmala struggled out of the gate with the low-A Dunedin, batting just .167/.280/.306 with a 34.4% strikeout rate over his first 29 games, the Blue Jays were forced to make some adjustments.
They first placed him on the development list to refine his approach and mechanics, then reassigned him to the complex league to implement those changes. By late June, he returned to Dunedin and turned things around, hitting .265/.331/.564 with 13 home runs and cutting his strikeout rate by five percent over his final 53 games.
Here's what Nimmala had to say after the early demotion following a tough start to 2024.
«At first, I was a little mad about it because I was like, let me just play. But over time I realized that was probably the best thing that could happen for me.» -Nimmala
Davidi also writes that Nimmala's mature approach to last season's ups and downs is a big reason the Blue Jays felt confident challenging him again this spring, bumping him up to high-A Vancouver. He's responded well, getting off to a strong start with a .326/.383/.558 slash line through his first 10 games with the Canadians.
"There is still lots for him to work on, and now 19, he's intent on attacking every part of his game. And while there was a case for him to perhaps start in Dunedin and cement his gains while avoiding the early spring cold and rain in the Pacific Northwest, Nimmala was all for the push." -Davidi
The way he handled adversity last season will likely help him navigate future challenges with even more resilience and confidence.
"Challenge is always best, honestly. I love that we do that in our organization. Last year, personally I thought they made the right decision with Dunedin out of the gate. Of course, it was a little bit of a challenge, but that's kind of the guy I am. I'm never one to back down, whether it's offensive struggles, defence, anything. I'll always take the challenge.» -Nimmala
If Nimmala can continue his strong and promising development, his future in the big leagues can be nearing.
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