Nearly two months after a terrifying medical scare, Colorado Rockies prospect Braylen Wimmer is back on the diamond - and not just easing into it. The 24-year-old shortstop, who suffered a seizure on Nov. 1 en route to an Arizona Fall League game, has taken a major step forward in his recovery after undergoing brain surgery. And this week, he laced up his cleats for his first full baseball workout since the operation.
The seizure led to the discovery of a brain tumor, and just weeks later, Wimmer underwent an awake craniotomy - a procedure as intense as it sounds. Doctors removed the tumor while Wimmer was conscious, with a speech pathologist monitoring his responses in real time to ensure no damage was done to critical areas of his brain.
It was a high-stakes moment for a young player with a bright future. But Wimmer came through it, and ever since, he’s been focused on one thing: getting back to baseball.
That journey brought him home to Oklahoma, where he’s been recovering with his family and gradually ramping up baseball activity. Earlier this week, he hit a key milestone - a full workout at his father’s baseball facility in Oklahoma City.
We’re talking ground balls, long toss, and batting practice - all at maximum effort. It wasn’t just a symbolic return.
It was a real, tangible sign that Wimmer is getting back to the player he was - and maybe even more.
This wasn’t a sudden leap. Since Nov. 25 - just a couple of weeks after surgery - Wimmer had been building toward this moment.
He started with lighter batting practice sessions, some field work, and weightlifting. But this week’s full-speed workout?
That’s a different level entirely.
“I’m in a good mindset now and I’m past the point of asking why did this happen to me, or how,” Wimmer said. “I don’t know why, or how, and there’s no reason to keep asking those questions.
The only thing I can do is move forward. I’m grateful to be playing again, so I’m going to make the most of it and just be happy that every day I can focus on Spring Training and getting better for 2026.”
That mindset - mature, grounded, and forward-looking - is exactly what you want to hear from a young player working his way back from adversity. And it’s not like Wimmer was just another name in the system before all this. His development over the past two seasons has been one of the Rockies’ more promising storylines.
In 2025, Wimmer posted a strong .296/.366/.466 slash line across High-A Spokane and Double-A Hartford, launching 17 home runs and driving in 69 runs. His Arizona Fall League invite wasn’t just a pat on the back - it was a sign the organization saw him as a prospect on the rise, with the AFL serving as both a reward and a developmental accelerator.
That momentum didn’t come out of nowhere. Drafted in the eighth round out of South Carolina in 2023, Wimmer wasted no time making an impression.
That same year, he torched Arizona Complex League pitching with a .383/.453/.596 line in 14 games. In 2024, he spent the full season with Class A Fresno, where he continued to show power and consistency, hitting .285 with 14 homers and 64 RBI in 118 games.
He came into 2025 riding that wave, and the Rockies clearly had high hopes for his continued growth. The seizure and surgery were a sudden and scary detour, but Wimmer’s response - both physically and mentally - has been remarkable.
Looking ahead, there’s a real chance Wimmer could be a non-roster invitee to Major League spring training in Scottsdale this February. If his recovery continues on track, he’ll be right there with the big leaguers, showing the Rockies what he can do. If not, he’ll report later for minor league camp - but either way, he’s back in the mix.
And after what he’s been through, just being able to say that is a win. But knowing Wimmer’s trajectory - and his drive - he’s not looking for sympathy. He’s looking for a roster spot.
The Rockies have a long road ahead as they try to rebuild, but stories like Wimmer’s remind us that development isn’t always linear - and sometimes the most important strides happen off the field. Now, with his health trending up and his game returning to form, Braylen Wimmer is once again a name to watch in Colorado’s system.