Demi Orimoloye facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Demi Orimoloye
Orimoloye at Rogers Centre in 2014
Outfielder
Born: (1997-01-06) January 6, 1997 (age 29) Lagos, Nigeria
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Demi Orimoloye (born January 6, 1997) is a Canadian former professional baseball player. He was born in Lagos, Nigeria. Demi played as an outfielder. He went to St. Matthew Catholic High School in Ottawa. Many people thought he was a very promising young player for the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. The Milwaukee Brewers picked him in the fourth round. Later, in 2018, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Early Life and Moving to Canada

Demi Orimoloye was born to Adenike and Segun Orimoloye in Nigeria. His father, Segun, worked as an architect. Both of his parents worked for the Nigerian government. Demi also has a younger brother named Temi.

When Demi was only eighteen months old, his family moved to Canada. They settled in a town called Orleans, Ontario. When he was a child, Demi enjoyed playing other sports like volleyball and basketball.

Demi's Baseball Journey

Demi Orimoloye started playing Little League Baseball when he was 10 years old. He attended St. Matthew Catholic High School in Ottawa. When he was 15, he joined the Canadian junior national baseball team.

In 2014, Demi traveled with the national baseball team to different places. These trips included Orlando, Florida, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. He also played in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game. This special game features the 40 best high school baseball players who are considered future stars. In February 2015, Baseball America magazine named Orimoloye a High School All-American. He was also named the Most Valuable Player at the 2015 Area Code Games.

Playing for the Milwaukee Brewers

Demi Orimoloye had planned to go to the University of Oregon. He wanted to play college baseball for the Oregon Ducks baseball team. However, he was also eligible for the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft. Both Baseball America and Perfect Game ranked him among the top 50 players available in the draft.

The Milwaukee Brewers chose Orimoloye in the fourth round of the draft. He was the 121st player picked overall. He decided to sign with the Brewers. He reportedly received a $450,000 signing bonus. Demi then started his professional career with the Arizona Brewers. This team plays in the Rookie-level Arizona League. In Arizona, he had a .292 batting average. He also hit six home runs and had 26 RBIs (runs batted in).

In 2016, Orimoloye played for the Helena Brewers. This team is part of the Advanced Rookie-level Pioneer League. There, he batted .205 with five home runs and 17 RBIs. For the 2017 season, he played with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. This team is in the Single-A Midwest League. He had a .214 batting average, 11 home runs, 45 RBIs, and stole 38 bases in 125 games. In 2018, Orimoloye started the year with the Carolina Mudcats. This team plays in the High-A Carolina League. He hit .248/.322/.393 in 126 games across both Wisconsin and Carolina.

Joining the Toronto Blue Jays

On August 31, 2018, the Brewers traded Orimoloye to the Toronto Blue Jays. This trade was part of a deal for another player named Curtis Granderson. In 2019, Demi played for the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays. He had a batting line of .240/.292/.386. He also hit 12 home runs and had 64 RBI in 113 games.

Demi Orimoloye did not play in any games in 2020. This was because the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Orimoloye played for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He batted .237/.268/.368 with 6 home runs and 20 RBI in 75 games. After that season, on November 7, 2021, he became a free agent in the minor leagues.

Demi's Playing Style

Demi Orimoloye is about 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall. He weighs around 225 pounds (102 kg). Greg Hamilton, who coached the Canadian junior team, called Orimoloye a "special athlete." He also said Demi "looks like a kid who’d normally be going to the University of Texas to play tight end" in American football. This shows how strong and athletic he was.