Nimmo whips through first four-hit game

The process of warming up has been gradual for Brandon Nimmo this year. On Sunday, though, he did a lot to accelerate his pace.

The Class A Short-Season Brooklyn outfielder posted the first four-hit game of his career, falling just a triple short of the cycle, with three runs scored and two RBIs to lead the Cyclones in a 10-5 win over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

Batting out of the leadoff spot, Nimmo singled in the first inning, provided the second half of back-to-back homers with Julio Concepcion in the second, then singled in the fourth and doubled in the sixth. He finished up 4-for-6.

The Mets' No. 4 prospect has hit safely in five of his last six games, part of a run that has seen him dig his batting average out of a .188 low on July 12 to .240, where it sat after Sunday's outburst. He also sports a .368 on-base percentage and a .387 slugging percentage. His 23 RBIs are tied for 10th in the New York-Penn League.

He's continued to flash a patient approach at the plate, drawing 27 walks in 183 plate appearances with Brooklyn this season.

The No. 13 overall pick in last year's Draft by New York ran into some difficulty in his first exposure to the New York-Penn League. He batted .200 in 40 June at-bats, with a .324 slugging percentage and seven RBIs. In 28 games this month, he's hit .255 and slugged .409.

The left-handed batter has mashed right-handed pitchers so far, batting .270 against righties with a .403 OBP and .450 slugging mark, including all three of his home runs and 12 of his 15 extra-base hits overall.

At 19, Nimmo is getting his first extended exposure against professional pitching this season. After signing with the Mets last year, the Wyoming native debuted with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Mets and hit .241 with two homers in seven games. He then went to the Appalachian League, where he played three games and went 1-for-9 with the Kingsport Mets.

On Sunday, second baseman Jeff Reynolds, shortstop Phillip Evans and right fielder Julio Concepcion collected three hits apiece for the Cyclones. Reynolds scored three times out of the No. 2 spot, Evans homered and drove in four runs batting third and Concepcion scored twice in addition to his home run while batting ninth.

Beck Wheeler (1-0) earned the win for Brooklyn, tossing three no-hit innings with two walks and six strikeouts in relief of starter Julian Hilario.