Mets Select RHP Michael Fulmer With Compensation Pick

The New York Mets today announced the selection of righthanded pitcher Michael Fulmer from Deer Creek High School (OK) with the 44th overall pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Fulmer, 18, went 10-2 with a 0.72 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 68.0 innings for Deer Creek High School, located in Edmond, OK. The righthander also appeared at first base and third base during his career with the Antlers, hitting .436 with six home runs and 43 RBI this season. He was named a 2011 first-team All-State selection.

The 6-3, 205-pounder received the Ferguson Jenkins Award this year, presented to the top five high school baseball players in Oklahoma.

Fulmer, who committed to the University of Arkansas, was selected with the compensation pick the Mets received when reliever Pedro Feliciano signed with the New York Yankees.

In the first round today, the New York Mets today announced the selection of outfielder Brandon Nimmo from Cheyenne East High School (WY) with the 13th overall pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Nimmo, 18, who bats lefthanded and throws righthanded, plays American Legion ball for Post 6, since Wyoming has no high school baseball. In 22 games through June 5, Nimmo hit .569 (33-58) with 13 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 34 RBI and 14 stolen bases. The schedule for Post 6 runs through the American Legion World Series, August 12-16 in Shelby, NC.

The 6-3, 190-pound native of Cheyenne, WY won the MVP award at the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field last August, going 2-4 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored for the American Team. Baseball America ranked Nimmo has the second-best high school athlete in the draft, and the second-best pure high school hitter. The publication also said Nimmo has the second-best strike-zone judgement of all high school draft prospects.

Nimmo is the first ever first-round selection from Wyoming.

Last season for Post 6, Nimmo hit .448 (95-212) with 23 doubles, six triples, 15 home runs and 84 RBI in 70 games, 69 starts. He was a perfect 34-34 in stolen base attempts, helping Post 6 to a 64-12 record.

Nimmo, who committed to the University of Arkansas, is the third position player taken in the first round by the Mets since 2008. He joins 1B Ike Davis and INF Reese Havens in 2008.

I think it’s pretty funny that in the last 3-4 weeks I’ve read literally dozens of mock drafts from ESPN to MLB.com to FOX Sports to SI.com and not one of them had the Mets pegged today.

Nobody even had these players ranked as high as the Mets took them, which could mean that either the Mets made two big reaches, or that none of the experts are as smart as they think they are.

I guess we’ll know for sure in a few years considering how young these guys are.