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Blue Jays top prospect Arjun Nimmala making waves and history in Vancouver
Under the lights at Vancouver, B.C.’s Nat Bailey Stadium, 19‑year‑old Arjun Nimmala is standing out, not only for his on-field performance, but for the cultural resonance he brings to the game.
Nimmala was born in Florida to Indian immigrant parents and is already regarded as one of the top prospects in the Toronto Blue Jays organization.
A sit-down interview with Global News delved into the depth behind his rapid ascent.
Straight out of high school, Nimmala signed with the Blue Jays for $3 million after being selected 20th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Baseball insiders believe Arjun Nimmala has a strong swing and a promising future as a hitter.
Neetu Garcha / Global News
He now plays for the Vancouver Canadians, the club’s High-A affiliate, and has been named the Northwest League’s Player of the Week. The publication Baseball America also called him a “future star.”
And while another name, Texas Rangers prospect Kumar Rocker, officially claimed the milestone of being MLB’s first player of Indian descent, Nimmala’s journey is just beginning.
In May, Nimmala played during South Asian Heritage Night at Nat Bailey Stadium, a night which he said took on a deeply personal meaning.
“It felt amazing, you know,” he told Global News.
“I didn’t know what to expect going into the night, but just seeing all the people here, especially Asians, Indians, it was insane because usually you don’t see a lot of that, and just having them here meant a lot for me.”
Born in the U.S. but proud of his roots, Nimmala even celebrates them on the field, in his own signature way.
“My name is Arjun, named after Arjuna, he’s an archer in Hindu mythology,” he explained.
“So if you ever watch the games, I do a, like, when I get on second base or something, I do a bow and arrow celebration to like kind of show meaning to that.”
Before he played baseball, he played cricket, his father’s sport. The early experience with hand-eye coordination and bat control helped shape the foundation for what would become a pro career.
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“For me personally, I thought it was a pretty smooth transition. You know, a lot of the bat-to-ball skills you see in cricket is very similar in baseball. So I thought the transition for me was pretty smooth,” Nimmala said.
Arjun Nimmala played cricket as a child, something he credits with his “smooth transition” to baseball.
Neetu Garcha / Global News
A rough start, a major turnaround
Nimmala’s pro career didn’t start as smoothly as he would have hoped.
After struggling in his first several games, he credits mechanical adjustments and mental focus for the dramatic improvement.
“I was definitely not very good to start the season last year for sure, but I mean, you know, it was just a little bit of a learning stage, got a little bit of time to reset and go back to the complex and made some mental tweaks, hitting adjustments, and since then, you now, just forgot about that start and you know been good ever since,” he said.
David Singh, a senior writer at Sportsnet, has followed Nimmala since the draft.
“I spent some time with Arjun right after he was drafted and he was a fresh-faced kid just signed … to see the development he’s gone through since then it’s been a marked change,” Singh said.
“He’s really mature; the level of maturity is something that people here in the organization speak about. It’s something that wows them.”
According to Singh, that maturity sets him apart.
“For somebody to go through struggles, come out on the other side okay, but then recognize how that has been for their development is pretty rare for a 19-year-old,” Singh said.
Doug Fox, a Blue Jays prospect analyst and writer, says Nimmala’s rise in High-A is especially impressive given his age and the pitching-friendly environment of the Northwest League.
“He’s very young. Despite being one of the youngest players in all of the High-A level, he’s among the offensive leaders in many categories. Everything about him suggests he will be an impact bat at the big league level,” Fox said.
“I certainly would expect by 2027 or ’28 he will be a full-time big leaguer.”
Singh also sees a major upside as Nimmala grows into his frame.
“As his frame develops, I think we’ll see more power come out. He’s a very strong hitter, he’s got a good hit tool is what we call it in baseball,” Singh said.
Arjun Nimmala told Global News having the chance to play during Nat Bailey Stadium’s South Asian Heritage Night “felt amazing.”
Neetu Garcha
Representation and responsibility
Nimmala knows he carries more than just expectations on his back; some say he also carries a community.
“Last year, he was vying to become the first player of Indian descent in major league baseball; that’s since been passed by Kumar Rocker of the Texas Rangers. It’s significant for kids everywhere to know they can have a seat at the table too,” Singh said.
Singh said Nimmala’s role as a cultural trailblazer began well before his debut.
“Arjun has entered professional baseball already lugging a whole culture on his back in a sense,” he said.
“He was fielding questions about his ethnicity and standing in the game because of his race when he was 18 years old, before he was even drafted. To hear him speak now about that is quite impressive.”
Despite the spotlight, Nimmala told Global News he doesn’t feel the heat of the spotlight.
“None of it’s been pressure. It’s always been motivation to keep getting better,” Nimmala said.
Eyes on Toronto, legacy in mind
Though Nimmala says he’s not putting a timeline on when he’ll make it to the majors, he hopes to make his debut in Toronto.
“What would be cool is if a debut came in Toronto, that would be the coolest,” Nimmala said.”
And when that day comes, he wants to be remembered for more than his stats.
“After I’m done playing baseball, I hope people remember me as not only a great player but also a great leader and a person who really did what they could for anyone,” Nimmala said.
In a game driven by numbers, perhaps it’s Nimmala’s perspective that continues to set him apart. And he’s already inspiring a generation that looks up and sees someone who looks like them.
“People definitely know who he is. They’ve seen him on MLB Network. He’s done an excellent job of handling that pressure,” Singh said.
Nimmala’s journey to the major leagues is in its early stages but for many, the significance of his presence today is already a home run.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s late-game heroics resulted in three deafening ovations from the 42,260 inside the Rogers Centre on Friday.
The first roar arrived in the seventh inning when the Toronto Blue Jays catcher smacked an opposite-field two-run homer to right.
The next inning, the sellout crowd cheered as Kirk delivered a bases-loaded single to left field to score the game-tying and game-winning runs.
But the most thunderous praise from the faithful came when Kirk caught the Texas Rangers by surprise and stole his first career base.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” Kirk said through an interpreter after the 6-5 win. “Then I turned around and saw myself (standing at second base) on the scoreboard.”
The Blue Jays celebrated along with their low-key teammate’s first stolen base. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. pulled the base out of the ground and presented Kirk with the keepsake.
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Kirk stated the memento will soon be on display in his home. He also admitted he was surprised when first-base coach Mark Budzinski told him to steal second.
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“I looked around and said, ‘Are you serious?’” Kirk said.
Budzinski was serious. Kirk made history. He was holding on to the base during his post-game interview.
“The fact that he was holding it on the field post-game is even better,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I think they’re authenticating it.”
Although Toronto starter Chris Bassitt endured a difficult outing, lasting only five innings and giving up an early three-run homer, his night ended on a high note, watching his battery mate’s late-game wizardry.
“He’s catching (all-time base stealing leader) Rickey (Henderson) slowly,” Bassitt said with a smile.
Kirk hit his homer with an 0-1 count and his single with a 1-2 count.
“Kirk, the hitter, is pretty hard to face,” Bassitt said. “So I hate to say it, but I expect it from him. There are not many guys on our team that I’d rather have up than him because he can do damage with any kind of pitch.
“I’m always happy when he’s up late in big situations.”
This was the American League East-leading Blue Jays’ 39th comeback win of the season, and second in as many games after Guerrero belted a game-winning two-run homer in the seventh inning for a 2-1 win against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
“I think the more you do it, the more comfortable you are when you’re in that situation,” Schneider said. “It’s not luck. It’s hard to do, but like anything, the more you do it, the better you get at it.”
Springer, Bieber updates
George Springer homered in the second of three at-bats in his rehab start for triple-A Buffalo on Friday and could return to the Blue Jays lineup on Saturday.
Righty Shane Bieber pitched seven shutout innings in Buffalo, striking out four with six hits and no walks on 90 pitches.
Bieber could make his Blue Jays debut next week, likely on the road against the Miami Marlins next Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk followed a two-run homer in the seventh inning with a game-winning two-run single in the eighth to push the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-5 comeback win in the series opener against the Texas Rangers on Friday.
Kirk’s single with the bases loaded allowed the Blue Jays (72-51) to overcome a three-run deficit. Before Kirk’s deciding at-bat, Texas reliever Phil Matton (2-5) walked Daulton Varsho with the bases loaded to pull the home team within two runs before 42,260 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk and Rangers infielder Marcus Semien traded two-run homers in the bottom of the seventh and top of the eighth.
Reliever Louis Varland (4-3) registered the win with Jeff Hoffman notching his 28th save.
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Jacob deGrom pitched five shutout innings, allowing only two hits with no walks and five strikeouts as the Rangers’ (61-62) losing streak was extended to three games.
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Kyle Higashioka hammered a three-run homer in the second inning.
The three-run blow was one of only four hits off Toronto starter Chris Bassitt, who lasted five innings on 100 pitches and matched a season-high four walks with four strikeouts.
Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lukes made a pair of defensive gems early. With his back against the wall, he jumped to take an extra base hit away from Joc Pederson in the first inning.
In the second inning, Lukes fielded Evan Carter’s rocket off the wall and caught the Rangers outfielder at second.
Takeaways
Rangers: They began the day 3 1/2 games back of the final American League wild-card spot.
Blue Jays: George Springer homered in the second of his three at-bats in his rehab start for triple-A Buffalo on Friday. Shane Bieber pitched seven shutout innings in Buffalo, striking out four with six hits and no walks on 90 pitches. Springer is expected to rejoin Toronto on Saturday, and Bieber could make his Blue Jays debut next week.
Key Moment
Kirk’s bases-loaded single in the eighth inning scored the tying and go-ahead runs.
Key Stat
Bassitt still hasn’t suffered a loss at home in 2025, going 8-0 with six no decisions.
Up Next
Lefty Eric Lauer (7-2) will face Texas southpaw Patrick Corbin (6-8) in the middle outing of the three-game set on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
The Special Investigations Unit has concluded that there “are no reasonable grounds to believe” either officer committed a criminal offence in the death of a 16-year-old boy following an exchange of gunfire with police.
In the 10 seconds from when the first shot was fired by the teen to when the gunfire ceased, more than two dozen total rounds were fired, according to the SIU report released Friday.
The April 20 incident drew widespread attention when it was learned the deceased was just 16 years old, and after video from the incident was released to the media, prompting the Toronto Police Service to launch a professional standards investigation.
The 16-year-old was shot during a traffic stop near Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West at around 11 p.m. and died in hospital the following day.
According to the SIU report, a red Infiniti G35 two-door coupe was driving eastbound on Sheppard Avenue West when it was pulled over by a police officer east of Bathurst Street, next to the apartment complex at 569 Sheppard Ave. W. There were six people in the five-occupant car, including the victim, or Complainant, who was sitting in the back right of the vehicle with someone on his lap.
The SIU said the female driver told police the vehicle was not hers, but belonged to an acquaintance, and that the officer asked them to wait while he went to his cruiser to run checks on her licence. He returned and said he smelled cannabis in the vehicle and that he wanted them to step out so it could be searched. Two more officers had arrived at this time and were standing at the passenger side of the Infiniti. The driver and front passenger exited the vehicle and the female passenger on the victim’s lap exited as well, leaving three people in the back of the vehicle, the report states.
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“The Complainant subsequently moved as if he was about to exit the Infiniti when he suddenly reached to his left with his right hand before swinging his right hand to the right in the direction of the open door. He was in possession of a semi-automatic pistol, which he fired once or twice at (an officer),” the SIU said.
That officer then drew his firearm, as did the officer by the driver door. An autopsy found that the complainant died of gunshot wounds to the head.
SIU director Joseph Martino writes in his decision that when the 16-year-old began shooting at police, “the officers could only have concluded that their lives were in immediate peril and that action of some type was imperative if they were going to survive.”
However, he notes that the 14-16 rounds fired by one officer and 10 or 11 by the other “contributed to an incredibly dangerous situation,” especially considering there were two other passengers still in the vehicle, the officers were firing across from each other, and there were three others who exited the vehicle but were still nearby.
“The number of shots fired by the officers is worthy of scrutiny, but is understandable in the final analysis given the evidence that the Complainant discharged his firearm three or four more times after the officers first started to fire.”
Martino also noted that the police were not firing “indiscriminately” as the trajectory of bullets showed the gunfire was generally aimed at the complainant.
Both subject officers declined an interview with the SIU, nor did they provide notes, “as is the subject official’s legal right,” the SIU explained. Two civilian witnesses and five witness officials were interviewed as part of the investigation, which also took into account police body camera footage, in-car camera footage, surveillance video from the area and police radio communications.
Meanwhile, Toronto police said in April that five people had been charged in connection with the traffic stop: a 20-year-old man, an 18-year-old woman, two 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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