Baseball NSW congratulates our own Jimmy Nati for signing with the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball!
Nati begins his pro baseball career after four standout years playing college ball at Stanford University.
With the signing, Jimmy also became the 27th Australian under contract with an MLB team, and another product of the NCAA pathway that has guided many Aussies toward turning pro.
Nati now joins the ranks of former MLB first overall pick Travis Bazzana (Cleveland Guardians), Kailen Hamson (Baltimore Orioles), Brent Iredale (Pittsburgh Pirates), and John Lemm (St. Louis Cardinals) as Australians who have been drafted or signed contracts with MLB teams after their college careers.
As a junior, Nati began his career in the Ryde junior baseball system, where he played for the Greenway Giants before representing Ryde at the Australian National Little League Championship. He also represented his state at the Australian Youth Championships.
His skill at a young age attracted the attention of several pro teams, but Jimmy decided to commit to Stanford University. His decision to enter one of the world’s premier college baseball programs and one of the world’s leading academic institutions allowed him to develop both on and off the diamond, as he has also earned a degree in science, technology, and society.
In college, Nati also showed out and earned ACC All-Academic Team honours twice. He became a key piece in the Stanford lineup as he also turned into one of Australia’s top student-athletes.
Four seasons at Stanford saw Jimmy play in 174 games, where he started 159 and batted .278 with an OPS of .850.
He also tallied 173 hits, which included 40 doubles, while scoring 180 runs and driving in 87.
His sophomore year in 2024 also saw Nati break out, where he hit .308 with a .905 OPS in 54 starts. Another terrific season came the next year, where he also batted .300 with a career-best .948 OPS.
He finished his collegiate career with 45 starts for the Cardinals.
After signing the contract on Sunday, 19 July, Nati will then report to Kansas City’s minor league system, where he will receive his first assignment.
Congratulations, Jimmy! We wish for your continued success at the pros!
Photo: Baseball Australia