MLB.com has released its midseason ranking of the Mets' top 30 prospects and #3, Brandon Nimmo, surprises me. It further surprised me that the Mets just elevated Nimmo to their Triple-A team. Yes, he recently appeared in the 2015 Futures Game along with Michael Conforto, where Nimmo went 1-2, but in March he was mentioned in SB Nation's article, "Victims of the hype machine: Overrated prospects in baseball." Reasons given for his inclusion: cannot hit lefties, has average power, and does not run "efficiently."
In five seasons in the minors, he has averaged .268, has an ISO (SLG-AVG) of .122 (among MLB players that is below average). Are SB Nation article's claims that Nimmo cannot hit lefties nor run "efficiently" justified? In the Press & Sun-Bulletin, a Binghamton, NY newpaper, writer Lynn Worthy provides the answers. This season in Double-A, she writes, Nimmo hit .271 against lefties, which is 119 points than he did last season. One reasons for the improvement: He is getting better at hitting inside pitches. And his running inefficiency might be due to the fact that early this season he injured his right knee (ACL sprain) in an April game. The article quotes Binghamton Mets hitting coach Luis Natera as saying, "He's not the same runner, even in the outfield. You don't see the same jump because he knee is not 100 percent."
Nimmo's promotion to Las Vegas should answer a lot of questions. Hopefully, his tenure in the Vegas heat will help heal his knee. It also should elevate his batting average: As a team, Las Vegas is averaging .282, third in the PCL with eight of those who have played for the 51s this season hitting at least .300.
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