MILWAUKEE — Turns out Aaron Judge found Nimmo years ago and knew the outfielder was capable of being an impact player with the Mets.
The Yankees star and Brandon Nimmo were teammates on the 2014 Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League.
“I’m glad Brandon is getting the opportunity,’’ Judge told The Post earlier this week. “He’s a really good player.’’
Nimmo is showing that on an everyday basis for the Mets.
Nimmo went into Friday night’s 4-3, 10-innings loss to the Brewers at Miller Park with hits in six straight at-bats and had reached reach safely eight straight times. He went 0-for-5 with a strikeout in the loss.
Nimmo had also led the majors with a .450 on-base percentage (minimum 100 plate appearances), but that fell to .430.
Nimmo has four triples, good for second in the majors.
You can be sure the run-starved Mets will continue to find a way to keep Nimmo in the lineup even after Yoenis Cespedes returns from his hip injury, with Jay Bruce likely moving to first base.
Nimmo, Judge and fellow Yankee Greg Bird built quite a friendship that fall of 2014.
“We all became pretty close,’’ Nimmo said, adding the Pirates’ Tyler Glasnow and Josh Bell were on the team as well.
“Aaron is just an amazing guy,’’ Nimmo said. “He’s pretty much got this Hercules body, but he has a teddy bear of a heart. I love that guy because he could literally crush my head with his bare hands but he is the nicest guy in the world. I feel like he is the definition of a leader. He has the biggest heart and the biggest work ethic.
“And Greg and I have known each other for years, we played together when we were like 10 years old and we continued to play against each other and kept the friendship and we were going to go to Arkansas together.’’
Until they were drafted in 2011. Nimmo in the first round, Bird in the fifth round.
In addition to bonding on the field as teammates, there were the Sunday barbecues together when they would watch NFL games. Also, because Fall League games are played in the daytime, there were lots of dinners.
“We would go to this amazing place, Mastro’s City Hall in Scottsdale,’’ Nimmo recalled. “We would get these tomahawk steaks that were like 40 ounces and come with the Flintstone bone and all, so we would get like three of them for the table and we would split it, it was the best steak we ever had and we’d get the seafood tower. Greg and I love oysters. We would just all hang out.’’
Nimmo remembers one titanic Judge home run in particular.
“He has such power, but does it so humbly and gracefully,’’ Nimmo said. “He gains more respect for how he treats people and he is so competitive. He was fired up when guys did well. When he makes contact it’s like nothing else. I remember he hit this one ball and it literally didn’t get higher than 12 feet off the ground the whole way and Scottsdale is like 430 to center field and the ball literally put a hole in the hill right to the left of center field. Unbelievable, and the sound off his bat, too, I will never forget that home run. We were like, ‘Thank goodness that wasn’t lower because that would have killed someone.’
“I just really loved the work ethic and the hearts of those guys,’’ Nimmo said of Judge and Bird. “That’s a time I will never forget. We still stay in touch and I saw [Judge] in spring training. He gave me a big old bear hug and engulfed me. He is a special human being.’’
And now Nimmo is making the most of his opportunity.
“Getting consistent at-bats I’ve been able to make some adjustments,’’ Nimmo said of his success. “Being able to get up there and if something doesn’t work, you get an immediate feedback as it’s not just one and done. You get that confidence in the big leagues, that’s a big thing.’’
The 2014 Scottsdale Scorpions are making their mark for the Yankees and Mets.
