Why Arjun Nimmala is the perfect first-round pick for the Blue Jays

When the time came for the Toronto Blue Jays to select their first-round pick at the 2023 MLB Draft, they faced a dilemma with respect to their choice. Should they go with the best player available at the time, or should they draft to address an area of need within the organization? In the end, they went with what most people believed to be the logical choice in taking what is best, so they announced Arjun Nimmala as the 20th overall pick at the 2023 MLB Draft, definitely a moment that both Nimmala and the Blue Jays will never forget.

However, some have brought up to debate whether it was the right move for the Jays. After all, it was quite clear that the organization truly lacked pitching depth, and at the same time, they have loads of talented infielder prospects already waiting in the wings for their chance of glory in the majors in the near future. In addition, Nimmala is still at a very young age of 17, so it can be hard to project what kind of talent he can become in a few years down the road.

But nevertheless, no matter what angle one wants to look at it, choosing Nimmala is actually the correct and perfect first-round pick for the Blue Jays. Why is that?

Look no further than the two prime examples that have blossomed perfectly in the organization into generational superstars in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Guerrero was signed by the Jays back in 2015 as a young 16-year-old international prospect. Bichette was selected in the first round in the 2016 MLB Draft as a prep prospect out of Lakewood High School, Florida as an 18-year-old. There is always a risk in taking such prospects, as with just raw talent, they could always turn out to be a bust, or into something very special. Not only that, they usually will need a few years of development to fully maximize their growth and ultimate potential.

Both Guerrero and Bichette went through that developmental stage by playing formidably in the Jays’ minor league system from 2016-2019 until their eventual MLB debut in 2019. From there, they have not looked back and have prospered into one of the top baseball players in the game. Both players possessed the raw talent and skills that gave them a high ceiling and boat loads of potential, and the Jays believed in that and gave them that chance. Boy, did that ever pay off.

Similarly for Nimmala, he is an up and coming exciting prospect that possesses an extremely high ceiling along with massive potential both with the bat and the glove. If put in the right environment and organization for his development and growth, his abilities could become limitless. Added to the fact that he was ranked within the top 15 in most sources prior to the draft speaks volumes with respect to his talent level and skills. Especially seeing what both Guerrero and Bichette have become, the Jays’ faithful should be more than exuberant to have Nimmala as a part of our organization now, and perhaps become “the next one” in the making.

Here’s a quick look at some of Nimmala’s abilities and skills put on display for people to behold.

For those that worry about Nimmala being a redundancy within the organization since the Jays already have many shortstops coming up their system, his plus-arm and lightning hands along with his pure athleticism should enable him to easily take upon different positions if needed to ensure that he will not be blocked position-wise in his progression up to the majors. Most importantly, Nimmala can serve as an inspiration to potential baseball hopefuls in the South Asian communities, along with those with Indian-American or Indian-Canadian descent, that one day they could fulfill their dreams as well if they believe in it.

Altogether, the choice of the shortstop sensation Arjun Nimmala may be a gamble, but it is certainly a gamble that’s 100% worth taking for the Jays to ultimately reach the next level.