Mets Brandon Nimmo: Late round target for OBP leagues

Mets’ outfielder Brandon Nimmo is set to make an impact in fantasy baseball in 2018, and you can draft him outside of the first 400 picks.

With the absence of Michael Conforto, as he recovers from his shoulder injury, the competition to secure the job as the Mets’ leadoff hitter and center fielder is one of the most compelling Spring Training battles to watch.

The two candidates both offer the potential for intriguing fantasy value.

As a 22-year-old, Juan Lagares tempted fantasy owners with the thought of 20-plus stolen bases, a decent number of runs and a batting average above .300. Unfortunately, life passed him by, and he is now a 28-year-old with .663 OPS in the majors.

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Plenty of players have increased their production after altering their swing, and the Dominican is seeing improvements from the added loft after focusing on a launch angle.

Do not dismiss the idea of a breakout completely; Lagares worked with the same hitting guru who redesigned the swing of another Minor League journeyman, Chris Taylor.

The second candidate to leadoff and play center field is the Mets’ former first-rounder, Brandon Nimmo.

Over seven seasons in the minors, Nimmo put up a .387 OBP, with 341 walks to 532 strikeouts. The guy gets on-base, and that is a skill that teams crave at the top of the order.

Only four NL teams had a lower team-OBP last season than the Mets, so Nimmo’s ability to wait for the pitch he wants and if it doesn’t come, then accept the walk, will work in real life and fantasy.

The 24-year-old leads the Mets in Spring Training with seven hits, including a double, a triple and two home runs. New manager, Mickey Callaway is impressed with the new aggressiveness Nimmo is showing at the plate:

"“He’s a patient hitter. He’s always been that. But now it looks like he’s attacking that pitch when he gets it, too. Pitchers know he’s gonna be patient and if they groove one, now he’s gonna attack it. It becomes a dangerous combination.”"

Nimmo slashed .260/.379/.418 last season in 69 games with five home runs, and 33 walks to 60 strikeouts. If he gets 500 at-bats, you could be looking at Dexter Fowler-like production from a player you got in the last round of your draft.

Next: Shortstops to target in the late rounds

Average draft positions (ADP) are always slow to react, so ignore the ADP that the consensus list on FantasyPros shows at 600 for Brandon Nimmo. He will shoot up draft boards if he secures a spot in the Mets’ Opening Day lineup.

Improving your OBP late in the draft is always difficult, so keep Nimmo in mind if you need assistance in this category.