At the age of 17, Arjun, a standout shortstop from Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Florida, achieved a remarkable feat by being selected 20th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the MLB Draft, making him the first first-generation Indian-American to be drafted so high in any of the four major sports.
His outstanding senior year in high school, where he boasted impressive statistics of a .479 batting average, six home runs, 29 RBIs, and 30 runs scored, earned him multiple Player of The Year honours. Arjun’s dedication to his craft was further highlighted by his training sessions with his idol, New York Mets star Francisco Lindor.
Arjun Nimmala – A trailblazing Indian American Major League Baseball player
Arjun’s groundbreaking achievement follows in the footsteps of other first-generation Indian-Americans making strides in professional sports, such as left-handed pitcher Rohan Handa, drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2021, and Satnam Singh, selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2015 NBA Draft.
In an exclusive conversation with the TimesofIndia.com, Arjun shared insights into his background and journey so far. Excerpts:
Share a bit of your background and how you got started in baseball?
Both my parents are originally from India and they moved to the United States in 2002. So my dad really didn’t know what baseball was. He just knew of cricket because that’s what he played back home in India. Then he learned about the game of baseball as he gained more experience in America. And he was like, wow, this is very similar to cricket. So that’s when he tried me in baseball. And ever since then, that’s kind of taken off from there.
For an audience who does not know much about baseball, could you tell us what are the few similarities between cricket and baseball?
I think cricket and baseball are actually very similar, but also very different in the same way. The bat and the ball would probably be the biggest similarity that they both have together, but the rules are kind of very different. There’s a pitcher in baseball and a bowler in cricket. There’s also a batsman. The guy behind the wickets is the wicket-keeper in cricket, that’s the catcher in baseball. There are different positions. Everyone plays defence or everyone’s on offence. So it’s two different sides of the game, but that’s where it’s really most similar but it’s also very different in how it’s played, runs, outs, all that stuff. But the way that people get out is kind of also the same, I would say.
What inspired you to pursue a career in baseball?
I would say the constant push by my parents. For me, I always loved playing the game of baseball and I just wanted to play at the highest level. And just having my parents push me and support me along the way. Keep doing it as best as I can. And also the people around me are very supportive. So just having them around me, as well as my dedication to baseball, that kind of just helped push me to the greatest level.
When did you realise you can have a shot at a career in baseball?
I think that the time I really realised that I was pretty good at baseball, I would say was around like 13, 14. That’s kind of when I thought in my head, I have a pretty good chance. And I was like, maybe I should put more work and put more dedication to baseball. And that’s kind of what I did, especially with the parents I have and the people around me, they supported me and helped push me towards that goal. And it happened. Not yet at the major league level, but…we’re one step closer.
You’re the first first-generation Indian-American to be drafted so high for Major League Baseball. How does it feel to be a trailblazer in the sport?
Feels pretty good. For me, it was always just like to get to that level and to play Major League Baseball, but there’s bigger impacts. It could impact India and Indian American culture as well. So I think it’s a high honour. It’s something I need to take pride in and something I really love a lot.
What challenges did you face on your journey to becoming a professional baseball player?
I think that the biggest challenges are definitely like the hardships of baseball, travel, all those types of things. All the dedication, just like in cricket, one can work so hard and the results don’t come. So, um, just all the hardships that me and my family went through and to get to that part, I think that is what’s most challenging.
How does it feel to receive such a recognition at such a young age?
To me, it honestly doesn’t really matter. It’s just me playing baseball and me trying my best to crack the big leagues and stay there. Having that recognition is always awesome, but it’s not something that I’m really aiming for. It’s me just trying to play baseball and that recognition is there and I appreciate it too.
Can you highlight some of the key aspects of your game that you believe that contributed to this ranking?
I think that the key aspects of my game are not only skills-based. I feel like I have the batting skills and fielding and running and everything but I think I also have a charismatic personality. I’m always willing to get better, it’s that dedication and hard work that I’m willing to put in to keep getting better that kind of has gotten me here and will keep carrying me forward. So, not only how good I am on the field, it’s the personality and the characteristics that I have off the field as well.
How do you approach your training routine to continually improve your skills?
I think the biggest approach to me improving my skills is definitely just consistent practice. I have the opportunity to work out with a lot of big players like Francisco Lindor and other guys who have made a name in baseball already. Just being able to learn from them and continue getting better is something that I’m going to take a lot of pride in. And I’m just gonna continue learning from them and getting better at the game. So that’s all I can do to really get better.
Are there any specific aspects of your game that you have been focusing on for the development?
I wouldn’t say there are specific aspects of my game that I’m really working on. I would say I’m working on everything altogether, trying to get better at every part of the game. Instead of just one, everything is important in baseball, whether it’s like base running or power hitting or whatever. Everything is extremely important. So I think I’m working on everything altogether.
How has your Indian American heritage influenced your approach towards baseball?
Within Indian American culture, it’s mainly cricket. And I feel like a lot of times it stresses towards pushing education and having a good job in the future. So that’s definitely impacted a little bit, but I’m lucky to have the parents that I have that allow me to pursue my dreams in baseball. So it really wasn’t ever hard for me to pursue baseball because I had the parents that backed me up for it. So the culture, it’s something I take a lot of pride in, but it’s also something that helped me as well.
Do you see your background bringing diversity to sports?
I think it’s definitely a big part. I think that playing baseball as an Indian American could bring a lot more prominence to baseball for Indian Americans. I think that there’s going to be way more Indian Americans in the future playing baseball. It’s very possible for the Indian American culture to play other sports as well.
Do you actively engage with the community to encourage youth’s involvement in the sports?
Yes, I do. I actively engage with the community. I’m always willing to do whatever I can to help kids out and to help the community out. Sports is a big part, not only education. Sports is also a big part of the community. And I do a good job in putting that out there and helping the community learn about baseball as well as the obstacles that they would face in the future.
As you move forward, what are your expectations?
I tend not to hold big, big time expectations on myself. I’m just trying to get better as the days go by, just get better and better each day. But, everyone holds high expectations for themselves and it’s kind of the same for me. I always want to make the major leagues. I want to stay there for a long time. And help win a world series, help the team. All those goals are in sight for me, but it’s just me getting better each day instead of focusing on the end goal, I’m going to focus on what I can now.
Are there specific personal or team goals you have set for yourself in the upcoming seasons?
Yeah, for the upcoming season, I think the biggest thing is just to try and help the team win as many games as possible. Baseball is a team sport, so is cricket but the biggest thing is to help the team win as many games as possible and do as much as I can to help the team win. I think that is my biggest goal for the season and having an impact on the team.
What advice would you like to give young players aspiring to make it to the majors league, especially those from under-represented backgrounds?
I think the biggest advice is that you just got to follow what you love. So from Indian-American culture, there’s not many baseball players, right? But it really shouldn’t matter what others think and if you’re underprivileged, it’s that love that you have for the sport that should really carry you through. That’s the only thing that really matters, that dedication and passion.
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