Nelson making most of baseball experience

Jimmy Nelson is one of the most overlooked prospects in the Brewers' system and that's hard, because he stands at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds. Yet here in Brevard County, he is making a name for himself on and off the mound.

A native of Niceville, Fla., Jimmy grew up living and loving the sport of baseball. He was the 2007 Niceville High School Player of the Year, a first-Team All-Area selection by the Daily News and was ranked as the 125th top prospect by Perfect Game Crosschecker. As a senior, he helped lead the Eagles to a 22-5 record, with a 10-2 district mark.

"Niceville is a great baseball town," Nelson said. "There are a lot of great guys that have come out of that area. Guys I played with like Austin Wood and Ryan Chaffee are now in the Angels organization."

Although growing up in the state of Florida, playing varsity baseball for three years at Niceville High School and having a strong build, Nelson was never given an offer to play ball at schools in Florida. But a quick visit to the University of Alabama turned everything around.

"I wasn't recruited by any Florida schools," Nelson said. "I was actually going to attend the College of Charleston, but when I went to a visit to Alabama I absolutely loved it and it really wasn't that far away from home.

"The campus was beautiful and I loved everything about it. In fact, I fully committed on the drive back to Florida. They have top of the line facilities, probably due to their football, but I love it. It was all very clean and it fit."

Nelson, as a junior, was named to the initial 2010 Pitcher of the Year watch list by the College Baseball Foundation and Hall of Fame and his stock was rising fast. He went 9-3 with a 4.01 earned run average and helped the Crimson Tide reach the Super Regionals.

"I had a really good junior year," Nelson said. "I really grew up physically and mentally. I had heard that I was projected in the first five rounds, and then I shot up in the last two weeks in college. Then I was drafted in the second round by Milwaukee."

Nelson was shipped to Rookie League with the Helena Brewers in 2010, where he met current Manatees skipper Joe Ayrault. Last season, he played for Class-A Wisconsin.

"Helena was real eye-opener," Nelson said. "It was a very different experience. I only pitched about 35-40 innings there. I was already used to a five day rotation.

"In Wisconsin it was freezing, and we actually had a game snowed out. It was weird. I actually was taking videos of the snow, and my host family thought I was completely crazy. They would have done the same thing though if they were on the beaches."

Now he finds himself in Brevard County, playing for the Manatees in the Florida State League. With the help of Nelson, Brevard County has a 3.14 team ERA which is second in the league.

"I was eager to pitch here," Nelson said. "Brevard is a very nice area and it's relatively new. I had trained in the offseason a lot, got into good shape and was able to control my sinker and changeup."

Nelson has made a big splash with the 'Tees under first-year pitching coach Mark Dewey. Although 2-4, he has a 2.40 ERA and is second in the FSL in strikeouts with 55. In fact, in his last outing on May 18, Nelson threw his first complete game as a Manatee allowing just two earned runs while striking out five.

"I expect that," Nelson said of going deep into games. "I feel like I get stronger as the game goes on, like in the fourth and fifth inning. I got in shape, and got in early counts. I threw three in a row in college. I don't nit-pick corners. I had a better feel with all my pitches.

"(Mark) Dewey has brought good outlook to me and the system. He doesn't over coach, but he fixes us if we are doing things wrong."

Nelson, who has seen much success early in his career, was slated at number four of 15 Brewers prospects who can grow into impact MLB players by brewersrumors.mlblogs.com. The hype, though, doesn't seem to get to the 'Tees starter.

"None of that stuff means anything," Nelson said. "I don't get nervous or try to do more. I just execute pitches. It should be the goal of everyone. I want to be a top of the line guy. That was one of the values Alabama had."

Nelson isn't alone though. The same source put Brevard County Manatees pitchers Jed Bradley and Taylor Jungmann and number two and three, respectively.

"All three of us have different pitches," Nelson said of himself, Bradley and Jungmann. "We all have success in different ways, and we are all learning from each other. We have high expectations for our team."

Nelson seems to be fitting in just fine in Brevard County as a Manatee in the Florida State League.

"The hitters are better in this league, and the field is much better," Nelson said. "Bus rides are much, much easier. Our longest one is like three hours. I like playing here most, but I also enjoy Port Charlotte, Clearwater and Tampa. Not Daytona. It was super windy and cold last time we were there, and their fans were right over the bullpen.

"We have the best locker room. The weight room is big, the playing service is nice, and I live very close."

Nelson even has his favorite promotion during home games at Space Coast Stadium.

"We didn't have very many promos in college, but I really like when the ketchup and mustard race," Nelson said of the Manatees' Spam scram. "I am too slow to do that. I also like how the kids run the bases. I don't remember ever doing that. The kids must enjoy that."

Nelson, a second round pick of the 2010 draft, simply looks like the build of a MLB pitcher, and maybe a NFL linebacker. Either way, Nelson has made himself at home with the Brevard County Manatees.

"I like it. It's like being home. It's a good set-up."