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Demi Orimoloye

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Demi Orimoloye
Orimoloye at Rogers Centre in 2014
Free agent
Outfielder
Born: (1997-01-06) January 6, 1997 (age 27)
Lagos, Nigeria
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Oluwademilade Oluwadamilola "Demi" Orimoloye (born January 6, 1997) is a Nigerian-born Canadian professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He attended St. Matthew Catholic High School in Ottawa, and was considered a top prospect in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. The Milwaukee Brewers selected Orimoloye in the fourth round, and traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018.

Early life

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Orimoloye was born to Adenike and Segun Orimoloye in Nigeria.[1][2] His father, Segun, is an architect, and both of his parents worked for the Nigerian government.[3] Demi has a younger brother, Temi. The family moved to Canada when Demi was eighteen months old, and live in Orleans, Ontario.[3] As a child, he played volleyball and basketball.[4]

Baseball career

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Orimoloye began playing Little League Baseball at the age of 10. He attended St. Matthew Catholic High School in Ottawa.[5] He joined for the Canadian junior national baseball team when he was 15 years old.[1][2] In 2014, he traveled with the national baseball team to Orlando, Florida, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. He appeared in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game, which is held for the 40 best high school baseball prospects.[6] In February 2015, Orimoloye was named a High School All-American by Baseball America.[7][8] He was also named the Most Valuable Player at the 2015 Area Code Games.[1]

Milwaukee Brewers

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Orimoloye committed to attend the University of Oregon to play college baseball for the Oregon Ducks baseball team.[7] He was eligible to be selected in the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, and has been ranked among the 50 best prospects available in the draft by Baseball America[9] and Perfect Game.[5] The Milwaukee Brewers selected Orimoloye in the fourth round, with the 121st overall selection, of the draft.[10][11] He signed with the Brewers, reportedly receiving a $450,000 signing bonus, and reported to the Arizona Brewers of the Rookie-level Arizona League to begin his professional career; in Arizona, Orimoloye posted a .292 batting average with six home runs and 26 RBIs.[12] Orimoloye spent 2016 with the Helena Brewers of the Advanced Rookie-level Pioneer League, where he batted .205 with five home runs and 17 RBIs.[13] He spent the 2017 season with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Single-A Midwest League,[14] posting a .214 batting average with 11 home runs, 45 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases in 125 games.[15] In 2018, Orimoloye began the year with the Carolina Mudcats of the High-A Carolina League, and hit .248/.322/.393 in 126 games for Wisconsin and Carolina.

Toronto Blue Jays

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On August 31, 2018, the Brewers traded Orimoloye to the Toronto Blue Jays for Curtis Granderson.[16] In 2019, he spent the year with the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays, slashing .240/.292/.386 with 12 home runs and 64 RBI across 113 games. Orimoloye did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[17] Orimoloye spent the 2021 season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, batting .237/.268/.368 with 6 home runs and 20 RBI in 75 contests. He elected minor league free agency following the season on November 7, 2021.[18]

Playing style

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Orimoloye is 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and weighs 225 pounds (102 kg).[1] Greg Hamilton, coach of the Canadian junior team, has called Orimoloye a "special athlete",[19] who "looks like a kid who’d normally be going to the University of Texas to play tight end".[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Bradley, Jeff (March 20, 2015). "Canadian prospect Demi Orimoloye bidding to make baseball history". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Orimoloye looking ahead to 2015 draft". Canadian Baseball Network. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Scanlan, Wayne. "Scanlan: Orléans teen a top prospect". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  4. ^ Boor, William (May 24, 2018). "Brewers prospect Demi Orimoloye rising fast". MLB.com. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Scott Harrigan. "Orimoloye no longer OF of untapped potential". The Independent Sports News. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  6. ^ Warren, Ken. "Big league attention for Ottawa's big league prospect – Ottawa Citizen". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Baseball Canada – Naylor, Orimoloye named High School All-Americans". baseball.ca. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  8. ^ "Canada's baseball future on display". Toronto Sun. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  9. ^ Rogers Digital Media. "Top Canadian prospect Orimoloye eyes majors". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  10. ^ "Demi Orimoloye of Ottawa drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 4th Round: Orimoloye, 18, was born in Nigeria but raised in Ottawa suburb of Orleans". CBC News. June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  11. ^ "Demi Orimoloye drafted to MLB". orleansstar.ca. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  12. ^ "Orleans outfielder inks pro contract with Brewers". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  13. ^ "Demi Orimoloye Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  14. ^ 5:07 p.m. CT April 22, 2017 (April 22, 2017). "Rattlers outfielder Demi Orimoloye has high ceiling". Postcrescent.com. Retrieved September 2, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "Demi Orimoloye Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  16. ^ Todd, Jeff (August 31, 2018). "Brewers Acquire Curtis Granderson". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  17. ^ "2020 Minor League Season Canceled". mlbtraderumors.com. June 30, 2020.
  18. ^ "2021-22 Minor League Free Agents for All 30 MLB Teams". November 9, 2021.
  19. ^ "Naylor, Orimoloye impressing at Tournament 12". Toronto Blue Jays. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
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