Betts: Nimmala gives Blue Jays' system a needed potential star

Toronto Blue Jays’ top prospect Arjun Nimmala had two hits in the Spring Breakout Game on Saturday. Photo: Toronto Blue Jays

March 16, 2025

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

It’s understandable if Blue Jays fans were unfamiliar with the name Arjun Nimmala when Toronto selected him in the first round of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft out of Strawberry Crest High School in Tampa.

High schoolers don’t always carry the same name recognition as their college counterparts, like 2024 first-rounder Trey Yesavage who made waves as a star at East Carolina University.

But as Nimmala’s confidence continues to grow with each passing day, so do the expectations from fans who now have his name firmly etched in their minds.

“I think it’s super high,” Nimmala said of his current belief in himself.

“I’ve always been a very confident player, even when struggles hit, but always keeping that confidence up is something I’ve tried to work on.”

He’s impressed when given the chance on the big league side of camp this spring. While he’s only had seven at bats, he has made the most of them with a .286 average and 1.107 OPS. One of his hits was a no-doubter off Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Yohan Ramírez back on March 5 in Bradenton.

Then, on Saturday, he showed well in the Blue Jays Spring Breakout game, stroking a pair of singles and driving in a run to further cement himself as one of the game’s top prospects.

Being among the next crop of rising stars on a sunny Saturday afternoon at TD Ballpark served as an opportunity to show the organization his work is paying off.

“It’s just showing them consistency,” he said following the game.

“Baseball is a sport of consistency. You need to perform at your best every day.”

Ranked as Toronto’s No. 1 and baseball’s No. 86 overall prospect, Nimmala isn’t just a nice to have, he’s a necessary piece for a farm system that’s currently ranked 27th of 30.

Simply put, the team can’t afford to miss on the infielder.

His path hasn’t been without its struggles, however. He got off to a sluggish start to the 2024 season before finding his way back under the watchful eye of the organization.

By season’s end, he had swatted 17 home runs, 16 of which came at class-A Dunedin.

“Everyone has to face adversity in their career at least once,” he said.

“For me, it was pretty early and I’m happy to have had that experience because now I know what to do and what it feels like to fail. It’s definitely helped me mentally but I also know what to do athletically on the field to make sure I can play consistently.”

Nimmala’s growth has caught the attention of Blue Jays manager John Schneider, not just for his play on the field, but for how he’s dealt with that adversity.

“It’s really cool to watch him handle it,” Schneider said.

“First time meeting him up in Toronto when we did draft him, you’re immediately taken back at how mature he is for a young kid. Watching him mature physically, how much stronger he’s got, and when he’s been over here you can’t tell he’s a 19-year-old. It’s a presence you look for.”

Schneider knows all about top prospects coming through the Blue Jays’ system, having seen both Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) and Bo Bichette blossom into the big leaguers they are today.

It’s tough to compare Nimmala to two of the best homegrown players the team has developed in years, but Schneider sees similarities.

“I had Bo and Vlad in double-A and A-ball, they’re just kind of very steady,” he said.

“That’s a tough comparison but you don’t see it very often. He (Nimmala) definitely has that same feel about him as a person. He has a really good way about him. It’s baseball IQ, situational awareness and speed of the game in which he plays.”

Fellow top prospect Yesavage referred to the noise around rankings and hype as “rat poison” after his appearance in the Spring Breakout game. Nimmala was less blunt about the external expectations set upon him and said it’s something he welcomes.

“For me, it’s the wind, you just go through the wind,” he said.

“I’ve always kind of embraced that and it’s always getting back to why I’m here and it’s to play baseball and do my best.”