Nimmo’s journey takes him to far-off Big Apple
Thanks to their balmy climes and dense populations, California and Florida are the most fertile states in America for growing future big league ballplayers.
But sparsely populated Wyoming (573,720 residents spread over 157,415 square kilometres), sitting high up in the chilly Rocky Mountains? Well, not so much.
You can count on two hands and one foot the number of major league ballplayers in history who got their start in the Cowboy State — just 15.
In fact, New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo now qualifies as a Lone Ranger of sorts: he’s the sole current Wyoming product in the MLB.
“Yeah, I guess I’m a rarity,” the good-natured Nimmo acknowledged to Wiggins World with a chuckle.”
“Baseball season is May to August,” said Nimmo, who hails from the state capital of Cheyenne. “And I remember playing in snowflakes a lot.”
Besides sheer numbers and cold weather working against them, Wyoming wannabe MLBers have another big obstacle to overcome.
Wyoming is one of only three US states where there is no high school baseball. Nimmo was discovered playing American Legion ball in the summer.
“Most of the guys who made it [in the MLB] had to leave the state to get noticed,” explained Nimmo.
“Mike Devereaux and Mike Lansing are probably the two best-known players from Wyoming — they both played at Arizona State.”
Devereaux, a fleet outfielder and solid hitter, then had a nice 12-year career with six teams two decades ago.
During the same period, Lansing, a spunky i nfielder, was a terrific high average hitter, mostly with the Colorado Rockies.
“Cheyenne is only two hours from Denver, so I rooted for the Rockies,” recalled Nimmo.
“I followed Lansing but growing up my favourite player was Todd Helton [a smooth-fielding first baseman who won a National League batting title in 2000 and was a five-time All-star and a career .312 hitter over a terrific 17-year career].”
In fact, Nimmo even tried to emulate Helton’s sweet lefty swing when the weather in Cheyenne allowed.
The Mets liked what little they were able to see of Nimmo so much that they drafted him No.1 i n 2011, soon after his graduation from Cheyenne East High School.
Nimmo then made steady, if frustrating progress up the Mets organisational ladder.
Upon reaching the highest minor league level — Triple A — in 2016, Nimmo found himself spinning his wheels.
Despite hitting an i mpressive .352 in AAA ball during 2016, a glut of proven outfielders on the big club kept Nimmo down on the farm the following campaign. But not down in the dumps.
“I just tried to control what I could control,” explained Nimmo. “So, for me it was all about the effort I put out everyday and the work I put in.
“I just tried to keep it as simple as that.”
But then late last season, a combination of injuries and drop-off in performance by some Met vets gave Nimmo his shot. And he responded, batting a solid .260, with five HRs over the last two months of the campaign.
“That’s the thing: you just never know when it’s gonna happen,” offered Nimmo. “That’s why I still keep the mindset to try and get better everyday and be ready for any opportunity that comes along — and that goes for every at-bat, every pitch.
“You never know when the pitcher’s gonna leave one over the middle of the plate to be smacked.”
Nimmo earned a starting outfield position with his strong 2017 finish and excellent spring this season.
He’s holding his head above water this campaign, hitting a respectable — in this day and age — .258, while belting 13 home runs.
Moreover, now 25-year old Nimmo leads the Mets in on-base percentage (.382), mainly because he draws so many walks. And you know what they say: a walk is as good as a hit in many situations.
It’s what he does after he draws a free pass, though, that has endeared him to Mets’ fans: he SPRINTS to first base, full-bore — a la Pete Rose, aka Charlie Hustle.
“I just want to show how much I love this game and appreciate the opportunity I have to play it for a living,” said Nimmo with a shrug and a smile.
From here, Nimmo is hoping to move onward and upward.
“Now that I’ve had some success at this level because I’m playing everyday and in a rhythm, I’m gaining confidence,” he stated.
“But I’m still taking nothing for granted.”
Though his baseball journey has taken Nimmo about as far away from his Wyoming cowpoke country roots as you can get — to the Big Apple — Nimmo hasn’t forgotten where he came from.
“I still enjoy going back in the offseason,” he revealed. “It’s different.”
Of his winter training while home, Nimmo understated: “You gotta work indoors a lot.”