The lowdown on FA OF Brandon Nimmo
Henry Palattella
@hellapalattellaAfter seven quality years patrolling the Citi Field outfield, Brandon Nimmo is set to become a free agent after the conclusion of the World Series, and he should have no shortage of suitors. A toolsy outfielder who can make an impact with his bat, glove and legs, Nimmo has been with the Mets since they selected him with the 11th pick in the 2011 Draft, and is entering free agency on the back of his best season in the bigs so far.
Here¡¯s what to know about Nimmo:
FAST FACTS
Birthdate: March 27, 1993 (Age 30 in 2023)
Primary position: CF
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 206 lbs
Bats/throws: Left/right
Place of birth: Cheyenne, Wyo.
School: East (Wyo.) HS
Drafted: 1st round, 2011, by Mets
MLB debut: June 26, 2016
Qualifying offer: Received one
STAT TO KNOW
Nimmo proved he was one of the most dynamic players in baseball last season by slugging an NL-leading seven triples despite playing his home games at a ballpark that¡¯s not conducive to triples, according to Statcast park factors. That said, the mark isn¡¯t even Nimmo¡¯s career high, as he hit eight triples in 2018.
QUESTION MARK
The main knock against Nimmo for the duration of his career has been his inability to stay on the field. Since he entered the league in 2016, Nimmo has only played more than 100 games twice, in 2018 and 2022. While Nimmo played nearly every day this past season (151 games), interested teams could have some apprehension about his track record of injuries.
He just put together the best season of his career
It¡¯s no coincidence that Nimmo¡¯s best season came in the same year that he set a new career high in games played. Along with leading the National League in triples, Nimmo set new career highs in RBIs (64) and doubles (20) and finished with 16 home runs -- one away from tying his career high. Nimmo¡¯s 159 hits were fourth on a stacked Mets team, and he was fifth among all outfielders with a wRC+ of 143.
He makes the amazing look routine
On Aug. 31, Nimmo turned in his submission for Play of the Year with an incredible, game-saving home run robbery against the Dodgers. Plays like that are a regular occurrence for Nimmo, who was worth six Outs Above Average in the outfield last season and ranked in the 91st percentile in the category. Nimmo has some outfield versatility as well, as he¡¯s spent time at both corner outfield spots along with center field.
He¡¯s one of baseball¡¯s best at getting on base
Since the start of 2020, only Juan Soto, Freddie Freeman, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt have a better on-base percentage than Nimmo¡¯s .384. Additionally, he¡¯s never recorded an OBP of less than .367, finishing at greater than .400 in 2018, '20 and '21. That, combined with his plus running ability (84th percentile in sprint speed) and plate discipline (90th percentile in chase rate), has turned Nimmo into one of the best table-setters in baseball.
He didn¡¯t play high school baseball
As the pride of Cheyenne, Wyo., Nimmo has had a circuitous path to the big leagues. With no sanctioned high school baseball in Wyoming, Nimmo practiced in a barn behind his house that had a batting cage and pitching machine and played American Legion ball throughout his youth. His breakout moment came in the 2010 Under Armour All-America Game where he went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs to win co-MVP honors. The Mets selection of Nimmo with the 13th pick made him the highest-drafted Wyomingite in the history of the Draft.