SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – It was a remarkable and career-altering age-20 campaign for Arjun Nimmala. So it’s only fitting that he closed out being a 20-year-old in style.
The Angels’ top-ranked prospect went 4-for-5 with a pair of triples and three RBIs for Mesa during its 14-9 win over Salt River at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Thursday night, the eve of his 21st birthday.
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His first two knocks came against the Arizona Fall League’s top-ranked hurler, Jarlin Susana (WSH No. 4/MLB No. 66), who has already dialed his heater up to 103.8 mph in the past few weeks. That premium velocity didn’t bother Nimmala, who turned around a 101 mph fastball for an RBI single in the first before shooting another four-seamer the opposite way in the second for a run-scoring double that came off the bat at 104.6 mph.
While ultimately racking up three extra-base hits is nothing to scoff at, Nimmala nearly became the first player to hit for the cycle in the Fall League since Lars Nootbaar on October 29, 2021. And objectively speaking, he should have, if not for the wind blowing in from beyond the outfield fences.
Nimmala’s second triple of the night came in the eighth inning, a rocket shot that landed at the base of the right-center-field wall. Hit off the bat at 104.1 mph with a 27-degree launch angle, it traveled 422 feet. For comparison, there were 448 balls hit at an equivalent or higher trajectory during the 2026 Major League season – 447 went for home runs.
COMPLETE ANGELS PROSPECT COVERAGE
“The conviction into what he does is really impressive,” said Mesa hitting coach Jacob Caples of Nimmala. “He's able to come in every day, know exactly what he needs, know the adjustments that he needs to make, and to be honest with you, I don't think he thinks anyone's better than he is. He is confident at a very deep level, which is awesome. And he knows how special he is too.”
Caples has been a firsthand observer to Nimmala’s work ethic over the past two seasons, having served as the Blue Jays’ Rookie-level Florida Complex League hitting coach. No one wants to have an organization’s star prospect back in town on a rehab assignment, but getting to brush up with a player the caliber of MLB’s No. 34 prospect is a benefit for younger talent and coaches alike.
A unique twist of the Fall League has been that with the Solar Sox, Nimmala has gotten to play alongside his former teammates (and coaches) from the Blue Jays organization and his current teammates in the Angels organization following his Deadline acquisition in the José Soriano deal.
Even after an epic September heater in which he homered 10 times in 16 games (including the postseason) and helped lead Double-A Rocket City to its first title in franchise history, the Angels’ No. 1 prospect acknowledged the showcase circuit as a “prestigious thing to be in as a player” and has embraced his time in Arizona as a way to continue honing his all-around skill set.
“I truly believe I can be a threat on the bases, so I’m working on that,” said Nimmala during AFL Media Day. “I think that I can play a more consistent shortstop as well, so honing in on that. And I think as a hitter, it's just putting myself in a position to put up consistent at-bats.”
Nimmala has certainly been consistent during the Fall League, slashing .379/.514/.690 across seven games, ranking near the top of the circuit in almost every major statistical category. His 20 total bases have him second overall through play Thursday and he’s walked (eight) as many times as he’s struck out.
“He went off, went crazy in their playoff run,” said Caples, “so seeing his growth to now and coming out here in the Fall League's been really, really cool.”
“My routine stayed pretty much the same throughout the year,” said Nimmala. “But I think I felt something was clicking really well [down the stretch]. I was very consistent in the cage with my routine – I was able to do exactly what I wanted to do and that's the feeling we all chase as hitters, right? So when I got to that point, I knew that the biggest thing I had to think about was not thinking about it and to allow myself to extend that as long as possible.”