How Brandon Nimmo is Embracing Role as Rangers Leadoff Hitter, Leader

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Change is inevitable, even if you approve of it. That’s how Brandon Nimmo is approaching his first spring training.

After spending his entire career with the New York Mets, he was traded to the Rangers in November for Marcus Semien. On his side, he had to approve the deal. His contract with the Mets came with a no-trade clause.

So, after more than a decade of training in Port St. Lucie, Fla., he’s in Surprise, Ariz., with the Rangers and it requires adjustment. New names, new faces, new leadership, new clubhouse and a new way to work every morning.

“It’s kind of like trying to drink through a fire hose,” Nimmo said.

Brandon Nimmo’s Early Rangers Days

Love this Ranger’s Uni! #AllForTX! 🤠 pic.twitter.com/msuUDMYoTU
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) February 17, 2026

The expectations have already been set. Nimmo will play right field and, most likely, lead off, per his new manager, Skip Schumaker.

“I'm cool with that,” Nimmo said. “You know, I've always said that where you are in the lineup dictates two things. One, where you're going to be for the first at bat, right? So, after that point, you could come up with runners in scoring position, you could come up to lead off an inning again. So, it dictates the first thing. And then, you know, it just dictates how many at bats you're gonna get.”

The 32-year-old from Cheyenne, Wyo., is used to batting leadoff. In a 10-year career with the Mets he slashed .262/.364/.438 with 135 home runs and 462 RBI. He said early in his career he was asked to be primarily an “on-base guy,” setting the table for power hitters.

He was asked to provide more power in 2022, and he’s hit at least 20 home runs in each of his last three seasons. He has sacrificed a little of that on base for a little more slug, with a goal of an .800 OPS. Not that it’s easy. Nimmo says pitching is the best it’s ever been in the Majors.

“I just think this game has gotten it's gotten really, really hard from the hitting side of things,” Nimmo said.

Fair or not, he’ll be seen as a leader, given that the player he was traded for, Semien, was a leader in the Rangers’ clubhouse. It’s something he said he’s willing to embrace. But he said leadership is earned. He expected to spend the first few weeks of camp getting to know everyone, getting comfortable and doing a lot of listening.

Only then, he said, can one start being a leader.

“The biggest thing is getting your feet underneath you, getting acquainted with everybody, and then starting to get on to the deeper levels once we get kind of that surface level stuff out of the way,” Nimmo said. “Then we can start being a leader and kind of taking that role.”

Schumaker said he’s trying to build a clubhouse chemistry on the foundation of competition. Nimmo may have a job, but he believes the outfielder can help set a tone for the clubhouse with his work ethic and his performance. It’s part of the reason why he’s penciled in Nimmo as the leadoff hitter.

“He kind of changes the dynamic of the game with slug plus on-base [percentage], he can steal bases,” Schumaker said. “It’s [hitting against] righties, it’s lefties. … he hasn’t hit a ton of leadoff the last two years, but he was a really productive leadoff guy before that.”

Chemistry is one of those undefinable things, Nimmo said. But, when you have it, you know it. He used the 2015 Kansas City Royals as a recent example. Like his new boss, he said it’s a way to win on the margins.

“it's always been an intangible that isn't measured, but is super, super important to teams winning,” he said.

Brandon Nimmo’s Early Rangers Days

Recommended Articles