Blue Jays’ Arjun Nimmala trade with Angels takes on new light after MLB Pipeline’s latest update

Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays had felt there was something special about Arjun Nimmala. Ever since he was drafted by the Blue Jays in the first-round of the 2023 draft (No. 20 overall), fans had been keeping a keen eye on the progress of the young shortstop, often debating just exactly when he might make the jump from the minors to the majors.

That debate can keep happening now, the only difference is that jump to the majors won't land him in a Blue Jays uniform. The 20-year-old was traded to the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline (along with two other prospects) in exchange for 27-year-old right-handed starting pitcher José Soriano. Nimmala was Toronto's No. 2 overall prospect and ranked within the Top 100 prospects in MLB (according to MLB Pipeline).

Before the deadline, Nimmala was ranked at No. 77, now just over a week into his tenure with the Angles, Nimmala has made a gigantic jump in those rankings. In the latest update, Nimmala moved up 39 spots and is now ranked No. 38 overall. That puts a bit of a downer on the Blue Jays' decision to trade him. It's not often that you get a prospect drafted who climbs those leader boards and the same rate as Nimmala has.

The Blue Jays did have Trey Yesavage ranked within the Top 10 before the beginning of the season, but he's no longer considered a prospect due to his time already spent in MLB. As for Nimmala, he's deserved that extra attention this season as he has climbed to Double-A this year, after starting the year with High-A Vancouver. Across 64 minor league games in total, Nimmala has hit .268/.371/.461 with eight home runs and a .323 BABIP.

In his first two games with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Nimmala has two hits, both doubles, in five at-bats, with three walks, no strikeouts, three RBIs and a stolen base. This could end up looking like one of those trades that ends up being a win-win deal. If Soriano pitches to his potential, and maybe even signs an extension with the Blue Jays, they'll be happy with that, no matter what Nimmala does in his career.

But if Soriano flames out, and Nimmala becomes a consistent hitter at the big league level, the Blue Jays may come to regret this move down the road. After all, they had a home grown shortstop who was a contact machine with some pop already on their roster, but Bo Bichette left for the New York Mets in free agency. When that happened, many Blue Jays fans started thinking that it was only a matter of time before Nimmala grabbed those vacated reigns left behind by Bo.

Regardless of where Nimmala was sitting on the Top 100 list prior to the trade, this deal probably doesn't come together unless Nimmala is involved. It just gives a little bit more intrigue now to say Nimmala is a Top 40 prospect in baseball.

JoJo Parker's rise made trading Arjun Nimmala feel like a worthwhile gamble for Blue Jays

The "next Bo Bichette" conversation has shifted from Nimmala to Parker. The Blue Jays drafted Parker in the first round of the 2025 draft (No. 8) overall and his rapid rise also can't be ignored. The Mississippi native has already been moved up to High-A in his first year of pro-baseball.

The left-handed swinging 20-year-old was torching opposition pitching in the second half. In 15 games after the All-Star break, Parker hit .333 with four home runs, six doubles and 19 runs driven in, with an OPS of 1.089 and a BABIP of .410. With that kind of production Parker also moved up the list, landing at No. 26 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100. He was previously sitting at No. 43.

Between Parker's continued progress and the potential to have a top of the rotation arm in Soriano, the move to send Nimmala to the Angels made to much sense in the moment, but that doesn't mean it will always feel that way.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow