Get to know Draft prospect Arjun Nimmala

Arjun Nimmala making history is a matter of if, not when. When Nimmala's name is called in this year's MLB Draft, he'll become the first player picked out of Strawberry Crest High School. Chances are that moment will occur early, as Nimmala, MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 prospect in this year’s Draft, possesses incredible offensive upside, and should immediately shoot to the top of the prospect list for whichever team drafts him.

Here’s what you need to know about the future star:

FAST FACTS
Position: SS
Ht/Wt: 6-foot-1, 170lbs
B/T: Right/right
DOB: Oct. 16, 2005 (Age 17 on Draft Day)
College: Committed to Florida State
High school: Strawberry Crest (FL)
Hometown: Dover, Florida

He’s already figured out his hitting approach

Despite only being 17, Nimmala has a veteran’s mentality at the plate, describing himself as a “patient-aggressive hitter,” and in turn is able to drive the ball to all fields. Because of his approach, scouts are optimistic that he’ll be able to tap into more of his natural power as he gets older.

He’s already getting to know some Big Leaguers

During Nimmala’s interview with Harold Reynolds and Greg Amsinger at the MLB Draft Combine, Reynolds compared Nimmala to Francisco Lindor, saying that the prospect walks, talks, and plays like the Mets’ shortstop. That comparison was right on point, as Nimmala then divulged that he spent last offseason training with Lindor due to them working with the same agency.

“It’s pretty cool,” Nimmala said. “He teaches me a lot about baseball and my mentality.”

Nimmala also said that the two mostly worked on defense, and how to keep his arms and legs fresh over an 162-game schedule.

He has a unique background

As the child of two Indian immigrants, it’s only natural that Nimmala grew up playing cricket. In fact, if it wasn’t for cricket, who knows if Nimmala would even be here.

“My dad was a cricket player [in India],” Nimmala said in his interview with Reynolds and Amsinger. “It all started with cricket. I used to have a [uppercut] cricket swing."

Nimmala’s hoping that unique background inspires a new generation of Indian-American kids to give baseball a shot.

“There’s not many Indian-American ballplayers,” he said. “The transition to baseball has been a lot but hopefully one day I can inspire Indian-Americans and get more Indians in the sport.”

He shined with his bat, glove and legs in high school

As mentioned above, Nimmala will become the first player from Strawberry Crest High School to be drafted -- and he’s setting quite the high bar for future generations. Last season, Nimmala hit .479 with six home runs and 29 RBIs in 25 games for the Chargers en route to being named Florida’s Gatorade High School Player of the Year.

The accolades didn’t stop there either, as he was also a Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason First Team All-American and an Under Armour All-American along with being a First Team All-Conference selection. He also won the Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award.

He’s just as impressive in the field and on the base paths as well, as he only committed 15 errors and stole 31 bases in 77 games in high school.

He’s making an impact off the diamond

Nimmala’s Mr. Gatorade win was just as much about his off-the-field accolades as his on-the-field ones. Along with having a 3.69 GPA in school, he also served as a tutor for younger students at Strawberry Crest’s International Baccalaureate program, along with volunteering by delivering gifts to needy families during the holiday season.

“Arjun Nimmala is one of the best high school baseball players I’ve ever seen,” Lennard High school coach Victor Martinez told Gatorade. Nimmala led Strawberry Crest to an upset win over then-undefeated Lennard in March. “He’s the overall package. Very good hands and feet, and the arm (strength) to make every throw. He’s got plus power and makes a lot of hard contact.”