Kyle Zimmer

Kyle Joseph Zimmer (born September 13, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Royals selected Zimmer in the first round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.

Kyle Zimmer
Zimmer pitching for the University of San Francisco in 2012
Kansas City Royals – No. 45
Pitcher
Born: (1991-09-13) September 13, 1991
San Francisco, California
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
March 31, 2019, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
(through September 22, 2020)
Win–loss record1–1
Earned run average5.66
Strikeouts44
Teams

Early career

Zimmer graduated from La Jolla High School in 2009 where he played and was a member of the Cum Laude Society. He played first base, third base, and pitched 22.1 innings during his senior year. Zimmer batted .410 with a .492 on-base percentage and a .701 slugging percentage, and hit four home runs with 23 RBI. On the mound, Zimmer had a record of 3-3 with a 4.39 ERA. He was named team MVP in 2009, and was also named to the San Diego All-Academic team with a 4.20 GPA.[1]

Zimmer enrolled at the University of San Francisco to play college baseball for the San Francisco Dons as a third baseman.[2] With an All-American at that position, the Dons converted Zimmer into a pitcher. In 2011, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[3] In 2012, he started eight games, 54.3 IP, 2.15 ERA, 2.97 FIP, 9.94 K/9, 1.16 BB/9, 0.88 WHIP, and .218 BAA [4]

Professional career

Minor leagues

The Kansas City Royals selected Zimmer with the fifth overall pick of the 2012 MLB draft, and he signed with the Royals three days after being drafted.[5] He was assigned to the AZL Royals, and after posting a 0.90 ERA in ten innings, was promoted to the Kane County Cougars, where he pitched to a 2-3 record and 2.43 ERA in six games started. He pitched for the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Class AA Texas League in 2013, posting a combined 6-9 record with a 4.32 ERA in 22 games between both teams. His season ended prematurely due to tendinitis in his biceps.[6] In 2014, he pitched for the Idaho Falls Chukars, going 0-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 4.2 innings. Zimmer had shoulder surgery in October 2014.[7] Zimmer began 2015 with the Lexington Legends and was later promoted to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, pitching to a combined 3-5 record, 2.39 ERA, and a 1.14 WHIP in 64 innings.

The Royals added Zimmer to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season.[8] In 2016, he pitched only three games due to shoulder fatigue and he underwent surgery, thus ending his 2016 season.[9] Zimmer returned to action in 2017 and pitched for both Northwest Arkansas and the Omaha Storm Chasers, posting a combined 5.40 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 36.2 innings pitched between both teams.[10]

Prior to the start of the 2018 season, Zimmer was designated for assignment on March 28.[11] He was released on April 4, 2018, then re-signed to a minor league contract two days later. He spent the 2018 rehabilitating.[12] He elected free agency on November 3, 2018.[13]

On January 4, 2019, Zimmer re-signed with Kansas City on a major league contract.[14]

Kansas City Royals

He made the Royals' 2019 Opening Day roster.[15] He made his major league debut on March, 31, 2019 versus the Chicago White Sox, recording one scoreless inning, with two strikeouts.[16] He was optioned to Omaha on April 8. Zimmer bounced between the Royals and AAA Omaha for most of the year, appearing in 15 games with a 10.80 earned run average at the major league level.[17]

With the 2020 Kansas City Royals, Zimmer appeared in 16 games, compiling a 1-0 record with 1.57 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 23.0 innings pitched.[18]

Personal

Zimmer's younger brother, Bradley, is also a baseball player.[19]

References
  1. "Kyle Zimmer". Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  2. FitzGerald, Tom (May 21, 2012). "USF pitcher Kyle Zimmer set to be top draft pick". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  3. "#40 Kyle Zimmer - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  4. "Draft prospect capsule: Kyle Zimmer". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  5. Duber, Vinnie (June 7, 2012). "Royals ink first-round pick Zimmer". MLB.com. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  6. Mccullough, Andy (March 28, 2014). "Royals pitching prospect Kyle Zimmer to start throwing next week". Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  7. Marshall, Ashley (October 28, 2014). "Kansas City's Zimmer has shoulder surgery". MILB.com. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  8. "Royals add Kyle Zimmer and Bubba Starling to 40-man roster | The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  9. "Royals prospect Kyle Zimmer to have surgery to fix thoracic outlet syndrome". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  10. "Kyle Zimmer Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  11. Torres, Maria (March 29, 2018). "Hours before opener, Royals announce 25-man roster, cut Kyle Zimmer, Wily Peralta". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  12. "KC Royals' Kyle Zimmer hoping "dark moments" are behind him | The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  13. Eddy, Matt (November 6, 2018). "Minor League Free Agents 2018". Baseball America. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  14. "Zimmer signs one-year Major League deal". MLB.com. January 4, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  15. Worthy, Lynn (March 28, 2019). "Royals make it official, Frank Schwindel and Kyle Zimmer are on opening day roster". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  16. Gregorian, Gahe (March 31, 2019). "Kyle Zimmer's emotional debut for Royals ends one chapter and sets up the next". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  17. "Kyle Zimmer Stats". baseballreference.com. Baseball Reference. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  18. https://www.mlb.com/player/kyle-zimmer-622092
  19. "Draft may keep La Jolla's Zimmer brothers from reuniting". La Jolla Light. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
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