After a breakout year in 2018 that saw him finish with the sixth-highest wRC+ rating (149) and ninth-best wOBA (.385) in the majors — as well as 4.5 wins above replacement (FanGraphs), good for 13th in the National League — New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo has set the bar a bit higher for himself heading into his second full major-league season.
The Wyoming native’s .263/.404/.483 slash line, 17 homers, 47 runs batted in, 28 doubles, and 15 percent walk rate in 535 plate appearances last year after not even starting the season on the major league roster was a more-than-pleasant surprise for a fan base that wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the former first-round pick (2011, 13th overall).
High on-base percentage was always part of Nimmo’s game (.388 OBP over eight minor league seasons), but the power surge he experienced after hitting just 30 homers over the course of his MiLB career was simply icing on the cake.
After a less-than-stellar start to his Grapefruit League season this spring, Nimmo has come on strong over the last couple of weeks. After going 2-for-15 with no walks and six strikeouts over his first four Spring Training games, a 2-for-4 day (single, triple, two RBI) against the Red Sox on March 9 appears to have set something off in the perpetually smiling outfielder.
From then through his 2-for-4, two home run, four RBI game on Thursday, Nimmo’s gone 11-for-30 with two walks and three strikeouts. Steady progress is a great sign coming down the home stretch of camp.
The 25-year-old spoke to the team’s media corps after the Mets’ 6-0 win over the Marlins (video via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). When asked how he’s been feeling at the plate lately, Nimmo, in his should-be-trademarked awe-shucks demeanor, made it pretty clear that despite some minor lingering concerns, he’s begun to find his rhythm.
“Definitely [feeling] a lot better. Today was a good day, got the barrel three times. So definitely a step in the right direction, but there are still things to work on,” Nimmo said. “I definitely feel a whole lot better now than at the beginning of spring, but there’s always going to be things to work on. I just felt like I made better adjustments today and definitely moving in the right direction for the season.”
As long as Brandon Nimmo continues to get on base at the pace he has over the course of his professional career (mixing in a fair share of extra-base hits can’t hurt either), good things are bound to happen.
With the more offensively-potent lineup that the Mets are trotting out this season after adding Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos, and rookie Pete Alonso to the existing positional core of Michael Conforto, Amed Rosario, and Jeff McNeil hitting behind him in the order, Nimmo could be the spark that ignites this inferno.
