With the injury to Michael Conforto knocking him out for the remainder of the 2017 season it looks like Brandon Nimmo will be given every opportunity to prove he can be an everyday player for the New York Mets.
Nimmo, 24, is hitting .264/.391/.340 in 65 plate appearances this year in the big leagues while playing all three outfield spots.
The Mets currently have only three outfielders on the active roster with infielder Matt Reynolds as the fourth option. Meaning the rest of the season should see a ton of Yoenis Cespedes in left field, Juan Lagares in center and Nimmo in right field.
Of course, if both Nimmo and Lagares play well, they could find themselves as a platoon option next year in center field for the Mets.
Original Post – August 24
On Wednesday night, New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo reached base four times with three walks and a double.
Nimmo became just the fourth Mets rookie in franchise history to start in the leadoff spot and reach base safely (via hit, walk, or hit-by-pitch) in every plate appearance with at least four times up to bat per Elias. The other rookies to accomplish that feat for the Mets were Mookie Wilson (1981), Gregg Jefferies (1989), and Kazuo Matsui (2004).
Nimmo is now slashing .270/.410/.360 with 11 walks and 17 strikeouts in 62 plate appearances in the majors this season and has a .369 OBP in 142 big league plate appearances.
The 24-year-old Nimmo has already shown a knack for hitting off the bench (11 for 26 in career as pinch hitter), but with Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce both traded he could be given a chance to prove he deserves a chance to start in 2018.
Juan Lagares went 1 for 4 on Wednesday and saw his OPS for the year drop to .651. He did show off defensively with a great throw home to nab A.J. Pollock in the fifth inning.
Lagares and Nimmo are in a battle for playing time right now that could also prove to be a key in evaluating how much of a chance they get in 2018 as well.
