Demi Orimoloye

What others are saying: "Best all-round athlete from Canada in a decade" ... In Dominican: Doubled against Tigers ... Two hits including a double vs. Royals ... Against the Cubs, homered to left ... Two hits against the Brewers, including a homer to left centre ... Solo home run to lead off the ninth on a ball that cleared the fence in left-centre vs. Brewers .... Two hits vs. Twins ... Facing MLB Prospects who are eligible to sign as free agents July 2 stepped launched the first pitch he saw over the wall in left at Estadio Tetelo Vargas for a two-run homer ... .167 (2-for-12) with a D, RBI, 4 BBs, 3 Ks, 3 SBs at Jupiter ... .642 (9-for-14) at Area Code, T, HR, 7 RBIs, 6 SBs ... HR to left CF on 90 MPH in 2-for-2 day in Long Beach ... "Potential first rounder?" ... 6.5 60 at East Coast Pro (7th best) in Syracuse.

On other lists:

41st on Baseball America's latest top 500 HS list (down from 38th)

49th on Perfect Game's top 500 combined list (down from 37th)

62nd on MLB.com Pipeline top 200 (up from 33rd).

93rd on ESPN's top 100

16th on PG top 500 HSers.

Baseball America's top Canadian HSer

Perfect Game's top Canadian HSer

Baseball America's No. 1 HS Canadian.

Perfect Game ranking

49. Demi Orimoloye, of, St. Matthew SS
R/R, 6-4/225, Orleans, Ont.
College Commitment: Oregon

Orimoloye’s game still isn’t polished but it has come so far over the past year and he has such a high power/speed ceiling that one senses that scouts still don’t know what to make of the Canadian outfielder.

Baseball America, 41

Scouting Report:

Scouts have struggled to pronounce the Nigerian-born outfielder's full name for quite a while. Orimoloye has shown explosive tools for several years, having been exposed to high levels of competition as a member of the Canadian Junior National Team and the Ontario Blue Jays. While scouts already knew who he was entering the summer showcase circuit, Orimoloye really took off at East Coast Pro and the Area Code Games, where he showed advanced feel for the barrel and power in game situations. With a chiseled, 6-foot-4 frame, Orimoloye has long levers and room to add even more strength, allowing scouts to dream on his upside. He's a plus runner with a plus arm and plus raw power, with some questions about how much he will hit. Orimoloye's swing has taken significant steps in the right direction, and he's shown the ability to recognize pitches and drive the ball from gap to gap. Defensively, Orimoloye's routes and reads will be an early focus for him at the next level. He has the speed for center field right now, but could be moved to right field as he fills out. If his bat comes along as many scouts expect it to, Orimoloye could develop into a legitimate five-tool player. He is committed to Oregon but should end up signing this year.

MLB Prospects

Demi Orimoloye | Rank: 62

School: St. Matthew's HS (Ont.)

Year: Senior

Position: OF

Age: 18

DOB: 1/6/1997

B: R T: R

Ht: 6'4" Wt: 225 lb.

Commitment: Oregon

One of the best all-around athletes to come out of Canada in years, Orimoloye could become the first first-round pick out of Ontario since Scott Thorman in 2000 -- if he has a strong spring. Born in Nigeria, he moved to Canada when he was 10 months old.

Orimoloye is built like a linebacker at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, and all of his physical tools (raw power, speed, arm strength) grade out as plus. With his strength, bat speed and leverage, he can hit the ball farther than most high school players.

Relatively new to baseball, Orimoloye lacks polish at times at the plate, on the bases and in the field. But he has shown significant improvement in the last year and has prototypical right-field tools. He'll attend Oregon if he doesn't turn pro.

Perfect Game USA Scouting report by David Rawnsley and Jheremy Brown

Bob ElliottApril 20, 2015