Brandon Nimmo has a pretty good “back up” plan

Patti Nimmo has always told her son, Brandon Nimmo, to "follow your dreams - but make sure you have a back-up plan."

Well, mom, not to worry. Brandon has a pretty good back-up plan. In less than two weeks, he might have to decide between college and pro baseball.

"It's a win-win situation," said Patti. "Whatever he decides to do is fine with me. He can't really go wrong either way. We're so happy for him."

Nimmo is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound left-handed outfielder with sprinter's speed. A senior from East (Cheyenne, Wyo.), Maxpreps has him ranked the No. 12 prep baseball player in America. Baseball America has him rated among the 50 top high school or college prospects for the 2011 draft at No. 35, and Draft Central has him No. 30.

"Everything I've been told (about the draft) is have no expectations," said Nimmo, who has a state track title to his credit. "You have to tell yourself and remind yourself there are no guarantees. The draft is a funny thing ... very unpredictable. You could think you're going one place and go some other place. Or not at all."

With the Major League Baseball Draft less than two weeks away (June 6), Nimmo could become the highest-drafted player in Wyoming history. Of the dozen Wyoming players selected in the 45-year history of the draft, the highest pick has been pitcher Michael Beaver, who went to the Phillies in the sixth round of the 1966 draft. Beaver was the 109th selection overall.

Most likely, Nimmo will better both of the draft marks.

Wait, did you say Wyoming? Wyoming is one of three states that doesn't play high school baseball. The other two are Wyoming neighbors South Dakota and Montana.

"We've never sponsored high school baseball in our state," explains Trevor Wilson, associate commissioner for the Wyoming High School Athletic Association. "One reason is because of weather. If we had baseball, it would have to start in May and run through the summer."

Wilson also noted that it would take at least eight teams wanting baseball to move forward with it and that has yet to happen.

Former Oakland A's outfielder Jose Canseco might have been MLB's first 40-40 player (40 homers and 40 stolen bases), but in Wyoming 40-40 is 40 below zero temps accompanied with 40 mph winds. It's certainly not ideal for aspiring baseball players. But Brandon, with support from his parents, had made the most of it.

"Some people, like in the warmer climates, will play baseball all year-round," said Nimmo, who batted .448 with 84 RBIs and 15 home runs and converted 34 of 34 stolen-base attempts in 70 games in leading Cheyenne American Legion Post 6 to its second-straight and ninth title in 10 campaigns last season.

En route to the title, Nimmo earned tournament MVP honors, going 3-for-4 with four runs scored and an RBI in the title game against state rival Gillette.

By winning, Post 6 advanced to the Tournament of Stars, where Nimmo first caught the eyes of MLB scouts. He hit .400 and led the tournament in RBIs as Post 6 finished second. That effort earned him a spot in the Under Armour All-America Game last August at Wrigley Field, where he garnered co-MVP honors after going 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and two RBIs.

Life hasn't been the same since then, as representatives from more than two dozen MLB teams have visited the Nimmo home in Cheyenne. Many admitted they had never been to Wyoming. Despite frigid temperatures outside, the weather was a hot topic as was the barn, the oversized building where Nimmo practices daily in freezing weather.

"It (the barn) is where I get my hacks in during spring," Nimmo said. "It's where the sweat and tears pay off. We have to make up for time we miss because of the weather and no school baseball. It's been a blessing."

It's easy to understand that Nimmo practices a simple philosophy; You reap what you sow. No surprise he believes good things happen to those who work hard. But he's quick to add how quickly things have changed.

"Everything is new to us," said Nimmo, who carries a straight-A grade point average. "This whole process has been an educational process. We learn something new every single time we get a visit. It's been great. I thought I was good at talking with people, but I'm constantly getting better.

"This whole thing has been a surprise. Being from Wyoming this doesn't happen very often. Going to tournament of stars, being MVP of games - never expected any of this, so it's all been a surprise. It's all surreal ... I still can't believe it is happening. I wake up some mornings wondering if I've been dreaming."

Nimmo has earned a reputation as a hard worker; some even say his "work ethic is off the chart." He simply says that is a family trait. "It's the norm."

"My family is an inspiration to me," said Nimmo. "They all are very hard workers and that's all I've known. Coaches tell me my older brother (Bryce) was the hardest working player they ever coached and I want to top that. Everyone in my family works hard and I don't want to let them down. I'm so proud I have the family I do."

Nimmo said he very well understands how blessed he is and though it is "hard not to get caught up" in all the attention, he prides himself on staying focused, juggling his time and his hustle.

"I can't control what other people decide or control the results, but the one thing I can control is my effort," said Nimmo. "A person can control how you prepare and what you put it into."

Though he was late to arrive on the national scene, Nimmo was never a secret to opponents of Post 6, not even when he was only 15, a freshman, when he drove in 75 runs, and batted .454 in 75 games. He followed that in 2009 with a .500 mark, 107 runs and 74 RBIs in 69 games. And this season, he is continuing his RBI-per-game average with 14 in 14 games.

College scouts noticed about the same time MLB teams did and wasted little time in contacting Nimmo. He took recruiting trips to Arkansas, Louisville and Texas before signing with Arkansas.

"It came down to Arkansas and Texas," said Nimmo. "All the colleges, their programs and their coaches were just great, but I had a gut feeling Arkansas was the place for me. I prayed about getting a college scholarship ever since my sophomore year. I knew God would lead me in the right direction."

Though they didn't start their season until late April, Post 6 has earned a good reputation. Before Brandon Nimmo, there was older brother Bryce Nimmo, who played baseball on scholarship at Nebraska. Others along the way have played in college.

But none have been drafted by an MLB team.

Patti Nimmo says she remembers watching the Under Armour All-American game on TV and thinking how amazing it was. "We never thought he would be invited there," said Patti. "He was MVP and that's when we first started thinking about his being able to compete against some of the best baseball players in the country.

"It might be harder to get noticed out here, but even with that, the opportunities are still there," she said. "Got to have a back up plan, though."

And you have to be grounded, says Ron Nimmo, Brandon's father.

Ron has always told his son to "dream big, but stay grounded, stay focused and stay humble ... always work hard. And don't get caught up in the accolades because you might not get the results you want."

The highly touted prospect takes those words to heart.

"Ever since I was a little kid, I've dreamed of being in the MLB," Nimmo says. "But, reality-wise, I was thinking college, that I could make this into something that could help pay for college."

Which brings up the often-asked question: Will Nimmo sign or play at Arkansas?

"As of right now, I'm going to Arkansas. I'm excited to be a Razorback," he claimed. "Someone's got to draft me before I can make that decision."

Of course, the key is having a back-up plan. And Brandon Nimmo likely will have a very a good one come June 6.