If you are a New York Mets‘ fan, you are probably familiarized with the fact that Brandon Nimmo’s batting eye is among the best in the league. Many folks may think that’s an exaggeration, but it’s really not.
This year, he’s taking things to another level. In addition to sporting the fifth-best walk percentage in the bigs with 19.3%, the New York Mets’ outfielder has made strides in other aspects of his game that make him among the most valuable assets on the team.
Nimmo is currently sporting career-highs in walk percentage, isolated power (.227), slugging percentage (.489) and wRC+, with 158. Most notably, he trimmed his strikeout rate from 28.0% last season and 26.1% in his career to just 19.3% in 2020. That is impressive in our current environment, where pitchers are throwing harder and striking out more people than ever before.
In fact, he has managed to improve his contact skills. His 7.3 SwStrk% (swinging strike percentage) is the lowest in his career so far, and his 80.4 contact percentage is the second highest.
The Mets’ sparkplug
Of course, the sample size is still too little to take things for granted. For all we know, he couls regress at any moment. But he is a big reason why the New York Mets’ offense is regarded as one of the best in the league. He is the catalyst, the one element where all starts.
Nimmo’s .430 OBP is the tenth best in MLB, and look at some of the names that are in front of him: Paul Goldschmidt, DJ LeMahieu, Anthony Rendon, Bryce Harper, Charlie Blackmon and Michael Conforto. That’s pretty good company.
Health has been on his side so far after some injuries last season and a heart scare in 2020. That alone has played a big part in Nimmo’s resurgence. But he has worked hard to improve in the batters’ box and so far, the results are encouraging.