Brandon Nimmo (Part One) Italian / American Mets Outfielder (2016 - 2025)
He originally wanted to be a bull rider. His father had been a wrestler in college & his brother played baseball at the University of Nebraska.
The six-foot three left hand hitting outfielder, was the first draft pick of Sandy Alderson's as General Manager of the New York Mets.
Nimmo had originally committed to the University of Arkansas before signing with the Mets. He was presented with a 2010 Nissan Altima which he still had thru 2024. He named the car "the Golden goddess".
Nimmo is also the highest player ever drafted out of the state of Wyoming, as the Mets number one pick (13th overall) in 2011. He was certainly a gamble coming out of American Legion Ball, since his high school didn't even have a baseball team.
A Ball: He spent 2011 with the Gulf Coast Mets & Kingsport Mets. That year he was ranked 35 in Baseball America's Top 50 prospects.
Brooklyn Cyclones: In 2012 he was playing with the Brooklyn Cyclones leading the team with 40 RBIs & second to Kevin Plawecki with 6 HRs, while hitting .248.
He spent 2013 batting .279 at A ball Savannah, where struck out 131 times in 395 at bats. He was still selected to those years All Star Futures Game held at Citi Field.
AA Career: He started out 2014 with the St. Lucie Mets batting a career best .322 in 62 games. He then moved up to AA Binghamton where he hit 6 HRs with 26 RBIs in 65 games.
The Mets added him to their club after the season, protecting him from the Rule V draft. In January he tore a tendon & had to wear a protective boot which came off in late February.
Quotes- Brandon Nimmo: " It wasn't one specific movement, I went, worked out, did the conditioning movements, weightlifting and even hit. Went and ate lunch, was fine. Went and sat on the couch for an hour & got up and felt like my foot had been broken. It just came on very acutely. Tried to let it rest for a week but then it was still bothering me."
"I definitely came into this season wanting to try to help make an impact for this team, especially watching it all unfold from home this past offseason for me, but during the playoffs for them. It looked like something special. It's a special group of guys that we have now and something that I definitely want to be a part of. I just want to help the team do the best that they can and hopefully win a World Series."
Nimmo started the 2016 season at AAA Las Vegas, in 63 games he batted .328 with 16 doubles 7 triples 5 HRs with 26 RBIs & a .409 on base % in 63 games.
MLB Career: On June 25th Nimmo was called up to the major leagues as the Mets sent Michael Conforto down to AAA Las Vegas in order to work out things out.
When Las Vegas manager Wally Backman called Nimmo into his office he told him he was pleased with his play & development.
The bad news was there no room for him on the team charter from Reno to Las Vegas & he would need to take a separate flight. The good-natured kid said OK & started walking away when Backman told him, that that flight was going to Atlanta.
First Career Hit: The next day he got his first two career hits, coming off The Nat's Joe Ross in Washington, in another Mets loss.
On June 1st he collected two hits bringing in two runs in a loss to the Cubs, raising his on base % to .436%. He hit safely in all three games of the subway series at Citi Field, including a HR in the opener. '
On June 17th in Arizona, with the Mets down to the d-backs in the top of the 9th inning, Jose Bautista's double narrowed the lead to 3-2. Nimmo hit a two run HR leading to the 5-3 Mets win.
Walk Off HR: On July 11th, Nimmo hit a three-run walk off HR off pitcher Mark Leiter, to break a scoreless tie against the Philadelphia Phillies. He then had two more three hit games in the month.
Multi- Five Hit Game: On August 15th Nimmo had a huge five hit day, driving in three runs in the Mets 16-5 win at Camden Yards in Baltimore. He started out with a leadoff single, then a double to start the 3rd inning.
He missed some action in late August returning at the end of the month.
Pinch Hit HR: On September 3rd, with the Mets & Dodgers tied 1-1 at Dodger Stadium, Nimmo came to bat as a pinch hitter with two on & one out. Nimmo blasted the three-run pinch hit HR off Kenta Maeda, leading the Mets to a 4-2 win. it was his second 9th inning go-ahead pinch-hit HR on the season.
On September 15th in a moss to Boston, he hit a three run at Fenway Park. It was his sixth multi-
three RBI game of the season.
He had stiffness in his neck causing him to miss three games, but the problem would soon become bigger.
On May 21st, he once again had stiffness in his neck, this time resulting in a bulging disk, which put him on the injured list until September 1st.
Walk off Walk: On September 24th, in the bottom of the 11th inning, Nimmo drew a bases loaded walk from Jeff Brigham bringing in Amed Rosario with the game winning run.
Nimmo is also the highest player ever drafted out of the state of Wyoming, as the Mets number one pick (13th overall) in 2011. He was certainly a gamble coming out of American Legion Ball, since his high school didn't even have a baseball team.
A Ball: He spent 2011 with the Gulf Coast Mets & Kingsport Mets. That year he was ranked 35 in Baseball America's Top 50 prospects.
Brooklyn Cyclones: In 2012 he was playing with the Brooklyn Cyclones leading the team with 40 RBIs & second to Kevin Plawecki with 6 HRs, while hitting .248.That year on August 18th, he had a six RBI game topped off by his him hitting second grand slam of the year. He was the only player in the NY Penn. League to hit two grand slams that season. He was 4th in the NY Penn. League in doubles & fifth in RBIs.
Nimmo was known more of an RBI man with power as opposed to a hitter who hits for average.
Nimmo was known more of an RBI man with power as opposed to a hitter who hits for average.
AA Career: He started out 2014 with the St. Lucie Mets batting a career best .322 in 62 games. He then moved up to AA Binghamton where he hit 6 HRs with 26 RBIs in 65 games.
After a short four games at St. Lucie in 2015 he was back at AA Binghamton where he suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss some time. In 68 games he hit well at .279 with 2 HRs & 16 RBIs.
AAA Las Vegas: He was soon promoted to the AAA Las Vegas 51s where he was named the teams starting center fielder. Another injury where he fouled a ball off his nose slowed up his progress, in 32 games he hit 3 HRs with 3 doubles 8 RBIs while batting .264.
The Mets added him to their club after the season, protecting him from the Rule V draft. In January he tore a tendon & had to wear a protective boot which came off in late February.
"I definitely came into this season wanting to try to help make an impact for this team, especially watching it all unfold from home this past offseason for me, but during the playoffs for them. It looked like something special. It's a special group of guys that we have now and something that I definitely want to be a part of. I just want to help the team do the best that they can and hopefully win a World Series."
Nimmo started the 2016 season at AAA Las Vegas, in 63 games he batted .328 with 16 doubles 7 triples 5 HRs with 26 RBIs & a .409 on base % in 63 games. MLB Career: On June 25th Nimmo was called up to the major leagues as the Mets sent Michael Conforto down to AAA Las Vegas in order to work out things out.
When Las Vegas manager Wally Backman called Nimmo into his office he told him he was pleased with his play & development.
Quotes- Brandon Nimmo: “It took a long time for it to set in. I was in shock. I didn’t really know how to feel because it’s something I’ve been working for a long time, something I always prayed about, something I always dreamed about. It seemed like something I was always reaching for, and to finally be here, it’s something I’m no longer reaching for. It’s a childhood dream that has come to fruition. It’s hard to put into words.”
Mets Career: On June 25th, Nimmo made his MLB debut, starting in right field & batting 7th, going 0-4 in the Mets 5-2 loss at Atlanta.
Nimmo would start off his career with a hot streak, hitting safely in eight of the next ten games he appeared in.
On June 30th, with the Mets down 3-1 to the Cubs at Citi Field Nimmo came to bat with two on & one out. He singled scoring Travis d'Arnaud staring the Mets comeback rally in their eventual 4-3 win.
First Career HR & Multi- RBI Game: On July 1st, Brandon his first career HR, coming against off the Cubs, Jason Hammel, a three-run shot giving him his first career multi- RBI game. The Citi Field fans then demanded a curtain call from the youngster.
On July 8th, his average would peak at .282 before falling off & he was sent back down to AAA Vegas returning on July 30th for four games. After going down again, in August he returned as a September call up, when Juan Lagares went down with a torn thumb.
AAA Stats: At Norfolk he led the league in on base % (.423) hitting 25 doubles with 11 HRs & 61 RBIs all minor league career bests.
In an exciting first round win over Mexico, where the Italian team scored five runs in the bottom of the 9th inning, Nimmo drove in a run with a 9th inning base hit off former Met Oliver Perez.
With the bases loaded, John Andreoli singled home the walk off runs, as an excited Nimmo rounded the bases.
At that point hitting coaches Kevin Long & Pat Roessler advised Nimmo to change his stance at the plate to not stride his foot forward.
From August 27th to September 5th, he reached base in ten straight games, with a five-game hit streak to start the streak. From September 3rd to September 7th, Nimmo drove in runs in five straight games with two HRs & eight RBIs.
2018 Season: In 2018 Nimmo took advantage of Mets outfield injuries & made himself a regular in the outfield, playing in 140 games, 62 in right field -44 in center field & 32 in leftfield.
On May 19th, Nimmo doubled in the bottom of the 9th, in a tie game against the Arizona D-backs. He advanced to third & then scored on Wilmer Flores sac fly to win it walk off style.
On July 8th, his average would peak at .282 before falling off & he was sent back down to AAA Vegas returning on July 30th for four games. After going down again, in August he returned as a September call up, when Juan Lagares went down with a torn thumb.
Nimmo contributed to the Mets Wild Card run batting .385 in his return. As a pinch hitter he was 6-12 on the season, reaching base safely in six of his last seven times.
In 32 games he batted .274 with one HR, a double, 12 runs scored & six RBIs with a .338 on base %.
Christmas Elf: In the off season he appeared at Citi Field for the Mets annual Christmas drive with Jose Reyes dressed as elves. Santa Claus was played by Noah Syndergaard- aka. Synder Claus.
WBC: Nimmo was chosen to play centerfield for Team Italy in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
In an exciting first round win over Mexico, where the Italian team scored five runs in the bottom of the 9th inning, Nimmo drove in a run with a 9th inning base hit off former Met Oliver Perez. With the bases loaded, John Andreoli singled home the walk off runs, as an excited Nimmo rounded the bases.
In the Saturday game against Venezuela, Nimmo hit a HR, but then later was removed from the game where he had suffered a hamstring injury chasing down a triple in the outfield.
2017 Season: Nimmo missed 
the Mets 2017 Opening Day & began the season in the minor leagues. He got back to the Mets in mid-June & started out batting .350 in his first 25 plate appearances.
the Mets 2017 Opening Day & began the season in the minor leagues. He got back to the Mets in mid-June & started out batting .350 in his first 25 plate appearances. He then suffered another injury with a partially collapsed lung, setting him back until August.
At that point hitting coaches Kevin Long & Pat Roessler advised Nimmo to change his stance at the plate to not stride his foot forward.
Matching Mets Rookie Record: On August 23rd, in a 4-2 win over the Diamondbacks at Citi Field, he reached base safely four times, with a hit & three walks. That matched a Mets rookie record, done three times before.
His slugging improved in September & well throughout the 2018 season. In September 2017 he hit four of his 5 HRs & drove in 14 runs, he had only driven in seven runs all season before that.
1st Multi- HR Game: On September 7th he had his first career muti HR game with two against the Reds in a 7-2 victory at Citi Field.
Nimmo ended 2017 with 46 hits batting .260 with 5 HRs,11 doubles a triple & 21 RBIs. He drew 33 posting a .379 on base % & .797 OPS in 69 games.
Nimmo ended 2017 with 46 hits batting .260 with 5 HRs,11 doubles a triple & 21 RBIs. He drew 33 posting a .379 on base % & .797 OPS in 69 games.
His ability to get on base was his best asset, hitting,
walking & getting plunked with pitches, in which he led the league in that department with 22.
walking & getting plunked with pitches, in which he led the league in that department with 22.
On March 29th, he started his first Opening Day, collecting two hits in the Mets 9-4 win over the Cardinals at Citi Field.
On April 15th, Nimmo's hit his first HR of the year. It came in the bottom of the 6th inning tying up a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. A Wilmer Flores Walk off won it for the Mets in the 9th inning.
A solid hitting April had him go into Mat batting .303. More importantly his on base % was at .478%.
He closed out the month hitting four HRs in the final week of May. All of them came in Mets losses, except a May 28th game where they beat the Braves in Atlanta.
On June 1st he collected two hits bringing in two runs in a loss to the Cubs, raising his on base % to .436%. He hit safely in all three games of the subway series at Citi Field, including a HR in the opener. '
Multi -HR Game: The next day in Colorado, Nimmo started the game with a lead off inside the park HR. It was just the Mets third lead off inside the parker in franchise history. Carlie Neal (1963) & Angel Pagan (2009).
Later in the 7th inning he hit a solo shot off Harrison Musgrave. Later in the top of the 9th he added a two-run single in the Mets six run innings. He collected a season high four RBIs in the 12-2 Mets romp over the Rockies.
He was now batting near .290 & holding a slugging % over .600%. He drove in runs in the next three games as well.
On August 9th he became the 29th Met in team history to hit three doubles in a game.
From August 11th to September 21st, he reached base safely in a career best 28 straight games. Nimmo also reached safely in 35 of his last 36 games.
From August 11th to September 21st, he reached base safely in a career best 28 straight games. Nimmo also reached safely in 35 of his last 36 games.
In August he hit two more HRs, another in the subway series 8-5 Mets win on August 13th.
In the 4th inning, he collected his first RBI with an RBI double to right. In the 6th inning, he tripled off Tanner Scott driving in Kevin Plawecki & Jose Reyes. In the 7th inning he was hit by a pitch & in the top of the 9th collected his career high fifth hit with an infield single.
Mets Single Month Walk Record: In September Nimmo drew 29 walks, the most in franchise history, passing Keith Hernadez's 28 (1984). The 29 walks were second most that month in the majors.
From September 13 to September 21st drew a walk in a career best nine straight games. He would walk in 14 of his 17 final games of the year.
Pinch Hit HR: On September 3rd, with the Mets & Dodgers tied 1-1 at Dodger Stadium, Nimmo came to bat as a pinch hitter with two on & one out. Nimmo blasted the three-run pinch hit HR off Kenta Maeda, leading the Mets to a 4-2 win. it was his second 9th inning go-ahead pinch-hit HR on the season. Only three other Mets have done that Marv Throneberry (1962) Chris Jones (1995) & Jordany Valdespin (2012).
three RBI game of the season.
Nimmo closed out the year as one of the Mets best performers & promising young players of the future.
2nd in NL in On Base %: Nimmo led the NL getting hit by 22 pitches. He was second in the league in on base % (.404%). Nimmo drew 80 walks as well (9th in the NL).
He led the team in doubles (28) triples (8) & OPS (.886). He tied with Amed Rosario for fourth in the NL. Nimmo hit .264 with 114 hits 17 HRs 47 RBIs & 77 runs scored. Nimmo was second on the club with a .483 slugging % as well.
2019 Season: In 2019 Nimmo was in the Mets Opening Day lineup for the second time, going 0-3 in the win over Washington.
He had a slow start until mid-April, From April 7th to April 15th, Brandon drove in runs in six of eight games with 11 hits & seven total RBIs batting .393.
On May 21st, he once again had stiffness in his neck, this time resulting in a bulging disk, which put him on the injured list until September 1st.
When he returned the Mets were in the heat of the wild card race.
On September 1st, he drew a walk & scored a run in a 5-2 loss to the Phillies. The next game he collected an RBI double in a 7-3 win over the Nationals. On September 22nd, just two games back, Nimmo hit a line drive sac fly off Max Scherzer. In the top of the 9th inning, he hit a HR off Roenis Elias giving the Mets a 6-4 lead. The Mets had a 10-4 lead but blew it in the bottom of the 9th as the Nat's scored seven runs.
On September 1st, he drew a walk & scored a run in a 5-2 loss to the Phillies. The next game he collected an RBI double in a 7-3 win over the Nationals. On September 22nd, just two games back, Nimmo hit a line drive sac fly off Max Scherzer. In the top of the 9th inning, he hit a HR off Roenis Elias giving the Mets a 6-4 lead. The Mets had a 10-4 lead but blew it in the bottom of the 9th as the Nat's scored seven runs.
Brandon would hit four HRs in a ten-game span that month & drive in runs in 10 of 11 games.
Although the Mets made a run of it, they missed out on a wild card spot finishing the season 86-76.
Nimmo finished the year batting .221 with 8 HRs 11 doubles a triple 34 runs scored & 29 RBIs. He drew 46 walks posted a .375 on base % & .783 OPS.
He stole just three bases in three attempts, playing in 69 games. In the outfield he played 43 games in center, 38 in left & six in right field.
Christmas Santa: In 2019 Nimmo & his wife played Mr. & Mrs. Claus at the Mets Christmas event for children.
2020 Season: In Spring Training 2020 he started with a good return batting .364 in his first 11 at bats. He had a scare with his heart, but all tests proved ok & he was back in action.
Nimmo also changed his batting approach saying that he has a 'controlled aggression approach. "The more pitches I see, the better I'm going to get at that & I'm just going to keep working on trying to fire on those pitches in the zone".
In the Covid 19 shortened season, Nimmo played in 55 of the Mets 60 games.
In September Nimmo had ten multi- hit games, collected 25 hits overall & batted .338.
On the season he batted .280 with 52 hits 8 doubles 3 triples (4th most in the NL) 8 HRs 18 RBIs 33 walks (10th in the NL) & a .404 on base % (9th in the NL).
2021 Season: Nimmo started the year reaching base safely at least twice in his first ten games of
the season.
Multi- Four RBI Game: On April 23rd in a Jacob deGrom 6-0 complete game shutout, Nimmo hit a two-run single off the Nationals Erick Fedde. In the 8th inning he hit a two run HR off Kyle McGowan for his second HR of the season. It was his first multi- four RBI game of the season.
Multi- Three RBI Game: On the July 4th, the subway series win in the Bronx, Nimmo drove in three runs, with a 4th inning RBI base hit off Gerrit Cole. The Mets scored three runs in the inning tying the game.
From August 18th to August 28th, Nimmo had a career best to that point, eight game hit streak.
Nimmo also changed his batting approach saying that he has a 'controlled aggression approach. "The more pitches I see, the better I'm going to get at that & I'm just going to keep working on trying to fire on those pitches in the zone".
He began the year with a pair of hits on Opening Day & then closed out July with a six-game hit streak.
To begin August, he walked in six straight games. On August 5th, he drew three walks & scored two runs in a 3-1 victory over the Nat's.
In late August, Nimmo hit HRs in two games against the Marlins both resulting in wins. On August 28th he drove in a run in the subway series win, where Amed Rosario hit a walk off HR.
On September 17th in Philadelphia, he tripled in the 6th inning driving in two runs. In the 9th inning with the score tied 6-6, he started a four-run rally with a HR off Brandon Workman. The Mets went on to a 10-6 win.
From September 13th to September 17th, he had four straight multi-hit games. In a six-game stretch that week he collected 11 hits with 6 RBIs & four runs scored.
Nimmo was not considered the best centerfielder defensively, in the off season the Mets actually were shopping for a star centerfielder.
In contrast, MLB Network, ranked Nimmo the 5th best all-around centerfielder in baseball.
the season.
On April 11th in a suspended game, the Mets came to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning down to the Marlins 5-1. Nimmo started the rally with a two run HR off Anthony Bass. The Mets came back & won the game on Michale Conforto's walk off two run single.
Multi- Three RBI Game: On April 13th, Nimmo collected a two-run double off the Phillies Aaron Nola & later an RBI single off Spencer Howard driving in three of the four runs in Marcus Stroman & Jeurys Familia's 4-0 shut out.
In May he suffered a bone bruise on his left index finger & would miss two months of the season, not returning until July.
In the top of the 7th, the Mets were down 5-4when Pete Alonso tied the game. Jose Pereza hit a two run double & Nimmo followed with a two-run single. He scored on Francisco Lindor's base hit, as the Mets went on to a 10-5 win.
Multi- Four RBI Game: On August 12th, Nimmo drove in all four runs of a 4-1 Mets win, with a three run HR & RBI base hit against the Nat's for his second four RBI game of the season.
In September he missed two weeks with a ham string injury. On September 24th & again on September 28th, Nimmo led off each game with a triple, becoming the first Met since Jose Reyes in 2011 to have multi- lead off triples games.
Multi -HR Game: On October 1st, in the final series of the season, Nimmo had his only muti-HR game of 2021. He hit solo HRs off The Braves Spencer Strider & Huascar Ynoa in a 4-3 Mets win at Atlanta.
In 2021 he Nimmo was limited to 92 games, batting .292 with 8 HRs 17 doubles three triples, 51 runs scored & 28 RBIs. He posted a .401 on base %, going over .4005 two straight years. Nimmo's 12 doubles matched Pete Alonso for the most at Citi Field & his .304 home average led all Mets (min. 150 at bats).
