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Coleman's Corner: Mets Say Hello To Brandon Nimmo

By Ed Coleman
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We've heard of angels in the outfield. The Mets are hoping they'll have a cowboy in theirs sometime in the near future after signing first-round draft pick Brandon Nimmo just before the midnight deadline on Monday.

The Wyoming native - the 13th overall selection in this year's draft - signed a $2.1 million contract and is thought by most scouts and observers to be a fast-track prospect. Did Nimmo have any doubts that the deal would eventually get done?

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Nimmo - who stands 6'-3" and weighs 190 pounds - is an interesting case study. Wyoming has no high school baseball at all, so Nimmo played American Legion ball instead, and led his Post 6 team to their 3rd consecutive state title this past season. His numbers jump off the page at you - in 63 games, he compiled a .551 batting average with 14 HR and 99 RBI.

He also belted 23 doubles and 16 triples, and threw in 33 stolen bases for good measure. But last August was where he really made his impact. He was added to the roster at the Under Armour All-America game at Wrigley Field, where all the top high school players are showcased - and was selected MVP of the game. So if the baseball competition has been scarce in Wyoming, now that he's signed, Nimmo can concentrate solely on baseball and compete against the best.

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So when will the kid be ready to play? How about right away, says Paul DePodesta, Mets Vice President of Player Development and Amateur Scouting.

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Nimmo will start with the Gulf Coast League Mets in Port St. Lucie. And when did he really believe that he would be a Met - and realize his dream of playing major league baseball?

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Going from the wide open spaces of Wyoming to the scrutiny of New York can be quite a culture shock and possibly overwhelming for a young man like Nimmo, so does he think he can handle all that that encompasses?

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Is there any Met that Nimmo keeps tabs on or follows? Well, as you might expect, there is one guy that he's had some contact with.

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Nimmo seems down-to-earth, well-grounded and appears to be the real thing. Baseball America rated him the 2nd best high school athlete in the draft, and also ranked him as the 2nd best pure high school hitter, possessing the 2nd best strike zone judgement of all high school draft prospects. Pretty nice compliments.

The Mets scored well in this year's draft. They signed their first 12 selections and 19 of their top 21 picks. DePodesta said it showed a definite commitment to beef up the farm system and build from within.

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How much impact Nimmo and the others deliver will play out over time.

Not a bad start though.

C U soon
Eddie C.

Will Nimmo be a star for the Mets? Let us know what you think in the comments below...

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