PORT ST. LUCIE — Brandon Nimmo can already sense the improvement in his game.
After a dose of winter action at the Mets’ complex in the Dominican Republic, the team’s No. 1 draft choice in 2011 said he is comfortable at the plate and looking forward to his first full season in the minor leagues.
“The difference between my first at-bats to my last at-bats [in the Dominican] felt so much more comfortable and the game had slowed down,” said Nimmo, an 18-year-old outfielder from Cheyenne, Wyo., who was selected with the 13th overall pick in last year’s draft. “Everybody told me it’s going to be that way, but it’s a big, noticeable difference. I’m really looking forward to a full season.”
Nimmo hit .211 with two homers and four RBIs in 38 at-bats split between the Gulf Coast League and Single-A Kingsport last season.
“Last year things were just going 100 mph right after I signed,” he said. “I was at one place for two weeks, another for three days and then another for three weeks, and just never really could get settled in.”
* Reese Havens will be sidelined until at least the weekend after straining a muscle in his back. The oft-injured second baseman reported the soreness to manager Terry Collins after a meeting the previous day to discuss a plan to get Havens through camp healthy. Havens has played 93 games in the minors over the last two seasons combined.
* Johan Santana is scheduled to face hitters for the first time this spring when he throws batting practice today.
The lefty admitted yesterday he has a few jitters about today’s session. He has one simple request for the first batter.
“As long as he doesn’t swing at the first pitch,” Santana said. “I just want to get the first pitch out of the way.”
Santana will have a bullpen session on Saturday before facing the Cardinals on Tuesday in Grapefruit League action.
* Collins admitted reliever D.J. Carrasco has an edge on earning a bullpen spot because he’s owed $1.2 million this season, but indicated the righty is far from a lock.
Carrasco went 1-3 with a 6.02 ERA in 42 appearances last season, spending part of the year at Triple-A Buffalo.
“When you look back, this guy’s had pretty good success,” Collins said. “He had a bad year, and he’s pretty much the first to admit it. As we’ve told him, ‘We signed you because we know you can fit and you can help us in a certain way.’ ”
mpuma@nypost.com