Ryan Zimmerman

From BR Bullpen

Ryan Wallace Zimmerman

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 3", Weight 210 lb.
School University of Virginia
High School Floyd Kellam High School
Debut September 1, 2005
Born September 28, 1984 in Washington, NC USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Ryan Zimmerman hit .308/.340/.376 as a college freshman at the University of Virginia. He improved to .361/.395/.454 the next year and was fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference in average, making the All-Conference team at third base. In 2005, Ryan hit .393/.469/.581 to finish 5th in the ACC again in average. Ryan Braun beat him out for the All-Conference team though Zimmerman was picked 4th in the 2005 amateur draft, one spot ahead of Braun. He signed for $2,975,000. He was anmed as a second-team All-American by Baseball America, as Alex Gordon was picked as the top third baseman and Braun was a first-team DH.

While playing for a Virginia traveling team, Zimmerman wasn't able to start at his natural positions, shortstop and third base. This was because those positions were occupied by third basemen David Wright and shortstop B.J. Upton. Zimmerman had to play first and second base instead.

The Washington Nationals started Ryan with the mid-A Savannah Sand Gnats and he hit .471/.471/1.059 in 4 games, producing 9 runs. He was called up to the Harrisburg Senators, where he batted .326/.371/.528 in 63 games despite being at only .247 as of July 21. He then was a September call-up and hit .397/.419/.569 in his first 20 games in the majors, becoming the first Nationals draft pick in the major leagues. Baseball America named him the #5 prospect in the Eastern League, between Jon Lester and Nick Markakis.

In 2006, Zimmerman became only the third National League rookie in the last 50 years with 100 RBIs, joining Albert Pujols (130 in 2001) and Mike Piazza (112 in 1993). Overall, Zimmerman hit .287/.351/.471 for the 2006 Nationals with 47 doubles, 20 homers and 110 RBI.

Zimmerman opened Nationals Park with a bang. On Opening Day, 2008, he hit a 2-out, bottom-of-the-9th homer off of Peter Moylan to give Washington a 3-2 win over Atlanta.