Brandon Nimmo L/R Splits in 2014

Taking a closer look at how the Mets top OF prospect fared in 2014 against lefties and righties during his two stops in the Mets farm system.

            Brandon Nimmo had a very strong season across two levels in 2014, dominating the Florida State League (A+) in the first half of the summer and keeping his head above water in the Eastern League (AA) in the second half. He showed strong defense in the OF, spending most of his time in CF during the regular season – he played all 56 games in the field at CF for St. Lucie (he DH’d 6 times) and 44 out of 65 games at CF for Binghamton, with the other 21 coming at LF – before starting 7 out of 8 games in LF during the playoffs, while the hot bat of Darrell Ceciliani played CF. And Nimmo was a plus on the base paths, stealing 14 bases in 17 attempts (82.4%) between A+ and AA. He was so good that Mets GM Sandy Alderson said, 

“…He has probably done enough to warrant a AAA assignment coming out of spring training.”

As with any prospect, whether or not Nimmo shows platoon splits is an important factor in determining his overall future value, so I wanted to take a quick look at how the top prospect did against lefties and righties in his age-21 season in the minors.

Matt Reynolds 2014 Season and the BABIP Effect

Attempting to project how Matt Reynolds 2014 numbers might look at the Major League level as a function of BABIP.

Image from of a Jay Horwitz tweet

            Despite being a second round draft pick in 2012, Matt Reynolds has seemingly come out of nowhere this year to become one of the more interesting prospects in the upper levels of the Mets system. A third baseman for most of his tenure in college, the Mets have used Reynolds almost exclusively at his original position of shortstop – he’s played 256/277 games at short in the minors, only moving over to 2B occasionally in 2014 for the superior defender Wilfredo Tovar at Bingo, and to keep Wilmer Flores fresh at shortstop when he went back to Las Vegas. Defensively, while his range might still be a little light for shortstop, everything else is good enough to stick there, which is something I didn’t believe to be true back in April. What changed my opinion? If you’ve seen my site before, you know that I watch every Mets minor league game available on MiLB.tv, and report on most of them (I will likely report on more of them in the offseason), so watching him for 58 games at shortstop with Las Vegas is what changed my opinion. While he might have the glove to play a middle infield position in the majors soon, it’s his bat that has put the spotlight on Reynolds this season, as he combined for a .343/.405/.454 slash line across the top two minor league levels in 2014.

Mets Minor League Daily – September 5, 2014

Updated throughout the day and night

Minor News

            Check out yesterday’s results here.

Great way to end a game

How I feel about watching Matz and then Nimmo tonight

Minor Games

Scheduled starters and start times, game notes, and results as they come in

Las Vegas 51s

Best-of-5 series is tied 1-1

Noah Syndergaard @ Bradin Hagens

@Reno at 10:05 PM ET

MiLB.tv coverage – Boxscore

Game Two: L 6-0

Game notes

Today: L 7-5, Syndergaard – 4 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 3 SO, HR, 84 Pitches (54 Strikes), 6 GO: 1 FO

Lineup

3B – Daniel Muno – 0-5

SS – Matt Reynolds – 1-5, R, 2B, SO

RF – Bobby Abreu – 0-3, R, 2 BB

CF – Andrew Brown – 1-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 SO

LF – Brandon Allen – 1-3, 2 BB

C – Kevin Plawecki – 0-5, R, 2 SO, GIDP

1B – Allan Dykstra – 1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, SO

2B – Anthony Seratelli – 1-2, 2 BB

P – Noah Syndergaard – 0-3, RBI

Bullpen:

Miguel Socolovich – 1 IP, H, R, BB, SO, 1 GO, 2 IR – 2 S

Jack Leathersich – 1.1 IP, H, 3 SO, 1 FO

Chase Bradford – 1.2 IP, BB, 2 SO, 1 GO

Binghamton Mets

Best-of-5 series is tied 1-1

Eduardo Rodriguez @ Steven Matz

@Portland at 6:00 PM ET

MiLB.tv coverage – Boxscore

Game Two: L 7-0 (Binghamton)

Game notes

Today: L 6-3, Matz – 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 88 Pitches (57 Strikes), 6 GO: 3 FO

Lineup

LF – Brandon Nimmo – 1-3, R, 2B, RBI, BB, SO

2B – T.J. Rivera – 0-4, SO

1B – Brian Burgamy – 0-3, BB, SO, GIDP

DH – Jayce Boyd – 1-4

CF – Darrell Ceciliani – 0-3, R, BB, 2 SO

RF – Travis Taijeron – 1-4, 2B, RBI, SO

3B – Dustin Lawley – 0-3

C- Xorge Carrillo – 1-3, R, 2B, SO

SS – Wilfredo Tovar – 0-3, SO

Bullpen:

Paul Sewald (L, 0-1) – 1 .1 IP, 3 H, 3 R (1 ER), BB, SO, 1 GO: 1 FO, 1 IR – 0 S

Chase Huchingson – 1.2 IP, H, 2 SO, 1 GO: 2 FO, 2 IR – 2 S

Savannah Sand Gnats

Savannah trails the best-of-3 series 1-0

Antonio Senzatela @ John Gant

vs. Asheville at 7:05 PM ET

Boxscore

Game One: L 8-3 (Savannah)

Today: Suspended due to rain, to be finished tomorrow

Milky Way lives on outer edge of newly discovered supercluster of galaxies named Laniakea: http://t.co/N9UbV1L4GS pic.twitter.com/CBUGgewX6t
— Science News (@ScienceNews) September 5, 2014

Mets Minor League Daily – September 4, 2014

Updated throughout the day and night

Minor News

            Check out yesterday’s results here.

T.J. Rivera with the walkoff homerun

Controversial homerun call in the Myrtle Beach/Salem game

I agree with these angry Myrtle Beach players, the ball was foul

Not like there is good resolution to begin with, but some resolution lost with the screen shot. Hard to tell but appears to pass foul pole in the fourth frame

Minor Games

Scheduled starters and start times, game notes, and results as they come in

Las Vegas 51s

Las Vegas leads the best-of-5 series 1-0

Andrew Chafin @ Matthew Bowman

vs. Reno at 10:05 PM ET

MiLB.tv coverage – Boxscore

Yesterday: W 5-4 (Reno)

Game notes

Today: L 6-0, Bowman (L, 0-1) – 4 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 2 HR, 74 Pitches (47 Strikes), 5 GO: 1 FO

Lineup

LF – Cesar Puello – 0-4

SS – Matt Reynolds – 0-4, 2 SO

RF – Andrew Brown – 0-4, SO

1B – Taylor Teagarden – 1-3, SO

C – Kevin Plawecki – 1-3, GIDP

CF – Cory Vaughn – 0-3, SO

3B – Daniel Muno – 0-3, GIDP

2B – Anthony Seratelli – 2-3

P – Matthew Bowman – 0-1

Bullpen:

Giancarlo Alvarado – 2 IP, BB, 2 SO, HBP, 2 GO

Ryan Reid – 2 IP, SO, 3 GO: 1 FO

Zack Thornton – 1 IP, H, SO, 1 GO: 1 FO

Binghamton Mets

Binghamton leads the best-of-5 series 1-0

Justin Haley @ Greg Peavey

vs. Portland at 6:35 PM ET

Boxscore

Yesterday: W 8-5 (Binghamton, Portland)

Game notes

Today: L 7-0, Peavey (L, 0-1) – 2 IP, 8 H, 6 R (2 ER), BB, 2 SO, 3 HR, 56 Pitches (41 Strikes), 2 GO: 2 FO

Lineup

LF – Brandon Nimmo – 1-4, SO, GIDP

2B – T.J. Rivera – 0-4, SO, GIDP

1B – Brian Burgamy – 1-4, 2 SO

DH – Jayce Boyd – 0-3, BB, SO

CF – Darrell Ceciliani – 2-4, 2B, SO, GIDP

RF – Travis Taijeron – 1-3

3B – Dustin Lawley – 1-3, 2 SO

C – Xorge Carrillo – 1-2, SO

SS – Wilfredo Tovar – 0-2

Bullpen:

Matt Koch – 3 IP, 2 H, R, SO, HR, 1 GO: 6 FO

Jon Velasquez – 2 IP, H, SO, 1 GO: 2 FO

Adam Kolarek – 1 IP, SO, 2 GO

Randy Fontanez – 1 IP, BB, 1 GO: 1 FO

Savannah Sand Gnats

Savannah trails the best-of-3 series 1-0

Yesterday: L 8-3 (Savannah, Asheville)

Today: Off

Welcome to Laniakea - the 'supercluster' of galaxies that Earth calls home. Read more: http://t.co/sXb0DOU44B https://t.co/zcO22JGmgI
— Nature News&Comment (@NatureNews) September 4, 2014

Mets Minor League Daily – September 3, 2014

Updated throughout the day and night

Minor News

            Check out Monday’s results here.

Minor Playoffs

Scheduled starters and start times, game notes, and results as they come in

Las Vegas 51s

Clayton Richard @ Rafael Montero

vs. Reno at 10:05 PM ET

MiLB.tv coverage – Boxscore

Game notes

Today: W 5-4, Montero – 4.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 6 SO, HR, 103 Pitches (64 Strikes), 5 GO: 2 FO

Lineup

LF – Cesar Puello – 1-5, RBI, SO

SS – Matt Reynolds – 1-5, R

RF – Andrew Brown – 0-1, 3 BB

1B – Taylor Teagarden – 0-2, BB, SO

C – Kevin Plawecki – 2-4, R, HR, RBI , GIDP

CF – Cory Vaughn – 1-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, HBP, GIDP

3B – Daniel Muno – 0-3, R, BB, SO

2B – Anthony Seratelli – 0-2, BB

2B (sub) – L.J. Mazzilli – 1-2, RBI

Bullpen:

John Lannan – 0.2 IP, BB, 2 SO, 3 IR – 1 S

Zack Thornton – 0.1 IP, 2 H, SO

Jack Leathersich – 1.1 IP, H, BB, 2 SO, 1 GO, 2 IR – 0 S

Miguel Socolovich (W, 1-0) – 1.1 IP, H, R, SO, 1 GO: 1 FO, 2 IR – 0 S

Gonzalez Germen (S, 1) – 1 IP, SO, 2 FO

Binghamton Mets

Brian Johnson @ Tyler Pill

vs. Portland at 6:35 PM ET

Boxscore

Today: W 8-5, Pill – 5.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 2 HR, HBP, 89 Pitches (50 Strikes), 5 GO: 5 FO

Lineup

LF – Brandon Nimmo – 0-5, 3 SO

2B – T.J. Rivera – 4-5, 3 R, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI

1B – Brian Burgamy – 0-3, R, BB, SO

DH – Jayce Boyd – 1-4, RBI

CF – Darrell Ceciliani – 1-3, 2B, RBI, SF

RF – Travis Taijeron – 1-4, SO

3B – Dustin Lawley – 0-4, 2 SO, GIDP

C – Xorge Carrillo – 0-3, R

SS – Wilfredo Tovar – 3-4, 2 R, 2B, SO

Bullpen:

Hansel Robles – 2.1 IP, H, 4 SO, 1 GO: 1 FO, 1 IR – 0 S

Cody Satterwhite (W, 1-0) – 1 IP, H, BB, 2 SO

Savannah Sand Gnats

Robert Gsellman @ Kyle Freeland

@Asheville at 7:05 PM ET

Boxscore

Today: L 8-3, Gsellman (L, 0-1) – 5 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 5 SO, HBP, 90 Pitches (59 Strikes), 5 GO: 3 FO

Lineup

CF – Champ Stuart – 4-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, RBI

3B – Jhoan Urena – 1-3, BB, HBP

LF – Michael Conforto – 2-5, 2B, RBI

DH – Matt Oberste – 2-5, R, SO

RF – Victor Cruzado – 2-5, 2B

1B – Dominic Smith – 1-4, SO

SS – Amed Rosario – 0-4, RBI, 2 SO

C – Colton Plaia – 0-4, 2 SO

2B – Jonathan Johnson – 0-3

Bullpen:

Paul Paez – 0.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, HR

Bret Mitchell – 1 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 GO: 1 FO, 1 IR – 0 S

Darwin Frias – 1.1 IP, H, 3 SO, HBP, 1 GO, 2 IR – 0 S

Akeel Morris – 0.1 IP, SO, 2 IR – 0 S

The Beginning of Extra-Galactic Neutrino #Astronomy - APS http://t.co/LsQci9uhsv the IceCube as "neutrino telescope" pic.twitter.com/Ofis42cBUw
— Beyond The Matter (@BeyondMatter) September 2, 2014