2019 was a frustrating season for Brandon Nimmo. He missed most of the year with a bulging disk in his neck, which stifled his early season production. He batted just .200/.344/.323 before being placed on the IL on May 21, but when he returned in September, Nimmo proved to be as good as ever.

He batted .261/.430/.565 with five home runs during the season’s final month, and quieted concerns about his early season struggles. This impressive stretch raised his OPS from .667 to a respectable .783, and it showed that Nimmo could still excel in the leadoff role like he did in 2018.

Despite his .221 batting average, Nimmo managed to get on base with consistency. He posted a .375 OBP, and  heprovided solid overall numbers with a 112 OPS+ and 114 wRC+. If Nimmo could put up these above average numbers in a down year that was hampered with injury, he should be able to accomplish so much more  in a full season with good health.

Let’s look for a moment on how much Nimmo’s neck injury impacted his 2019 season. After Nimmo collided into the outfield wall on April 14, his production plummeted. He batted .171/.312/.224 in the 26 games following the collision, and he told reporters that his neck “hurt like hell.” In one instance, Nimmo said he felt pain just by lifting his head off the pillow. Given that he was playing through such significant pain, this injury is what likely caused his production to slip from his 2018 levels.

In 2018, Nimmo batted .263/.404/.483 with 17 homeruns in 140 games. His wRC+ that season was 148, which ranked sixth in the MLB, and surpassed All-Stars like Jose Ramirez, Paul Goldschmidt Manny Machado and Anthony Rendon. This isn’t to say that Nimmo ranks among the game’s best, but it shows that a .830-.860 OPS with a .380-.400 OBP are numbers that are absolutely within reach.

Well known for his elite plate discipline, Nimmo has always been a tough out. He walked in 15% of his plate appearances in 2018, and he increased this mark to 18.1% in 2019. That percentage would have ranked second best in the MLB behind only Mike Trout if he had qualified for enough at-bats.

This unique ability to get on base is what makes Nimmo such a tremendous, yet underrated, asset for the Mets. Many people may forget about Nimmo’s skills given his frustrating 2019 season, but he could be in line for excellent bounce back campaign, especially if his September production is any indication of what’s to come.

Having Nimmo paired with Jeff McNeil at the top of the lineup is a very exciting thought. Given their ability to get on base, they will generate plenty of RBI opportunities for the Mets’ power bats like Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, and J.D. Davis.  It’s also worth noting that Nimmo will be entering his age 27 season, so he will now be starting the prime of his career.