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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 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

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

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

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

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

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

  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. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
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