WATCH: Blue Jays 1st-rounder Nimmala featured in 'Indian Baseball Dreams' doc
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Indian Baseball Dreams is a documentary that tells the story of first-generation Indian-American Arjun Nimmala, who was drafted in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft (No. 20 overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays. The four-part documentary aired as one consolidated feature on MLB Network on Sunday, Feb. 4, and is now available in its entirety for free on MLB.com and MLB.TV.
Nimmala's selection made history as he became the first first-generation Indian-American to be drafted at such a prominent slot across any of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues. The documentary follows the 18-year-old's journey -- going back to his roots in his parents¡¯ hometown of Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh -- and explores India¡¯s sporting culture, which largely revolves around cricket.
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Born and raised in the Tampa, Florida area, Nimmala developed into a standout shortstop at Strawberry Crest High School and was No. 11 on MLB's Draft prospect list last year. The 6-foot-1 right-handed swinger refers to himself as a ¡°patient-aggressive¡± hitter and certainly does not get cheated at the plate. The Blue Jays' No. 3 prospect made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League shortly after making history at the Draft and appeared in nine games, going 5-for-25 with a triple, a double, seven runs scored, three RBIs, 14 walks and a stolen base.