Kyle Zimmer
Zimmer playing for the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2019
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1991-09-13) September 13, 1991
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
March 31, 2019, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
(through 2021 season)
Win–loss record5–2
Earned run average5.29
Strikeouts90
Teams

Kyle Joseph Zimmer (born September 13, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals from 2019 to 2021. The Royals selected Zimmer in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft.

Amateur career

Zimmer pitching for the University of San Francisco in 2012

Zimmer was born in San Francisco, California and grew up in San Diego and attended La Jolla High School.[1] He played first base, third base, and pitched 22.1 innings during his senior year and was named team MVP after batting .410 with a .492 on-base percentage and a .701 slugging percentage with four home runs and 23 RBI. On the mound, he had a record of 3–3 with a 4.39 ERA. Zimmer was also named to the San Diego All-Academic team with a 4.20 GPA and graduated as a member of the Cum Laude Society.[2]

Zimmer played college baseball at University of San Francisco and committed with the intention of playing third base for the Dons.[3] The Dons moved him to pitcher due to having an all-conference player, Stephen Yarrow, starting at third base.[4] As a freshman in 2010, Zimmer pitched 5.1 innings in five appearances. After his freshman year, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Alexandria Aces of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League.[5] In 2011, he was named first team All-West Coast Conference (WCC) after posting a 6–4 record with 89 strikeouts.[6] Following the season, he played for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League and went 2–5 with a 3.38 ERA in 48 innings pitched.[7][8] In 2012, Zimmer went 5–3 with a 2.85 ERA and a WCC-leading 104 strikeouts and was again named first team all-conference. Zimmer was inducted into USF's athletic hall of fame in 2020.[6]

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.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11] 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.[12] In 2016, he pitched only three games due to shoulder fatigue and he underwent surgery, thus ending his 2016 season.[13] 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.[14]

Prior to the start of the 2018 season, Zimmer was designated for assignment on March 28.[15] He was released on April 4, 2018, then re-signed to a minor league contract two days later. He spent the 2018 rehabilitating.[16] He elected free agency on November 3, 2018.[17]

On January 4, 2019, Zimmer re-signed with Kansas City on a major league contract.[18]

Kansas City Royals

He made the Royals' 2019 Opening Day roster.[19] He made his major league debut on March 31, 2019, versus the Chicago White Sox, recording one scoreless inning, with two strikeouts.[20] 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.[21]

With the 2020 Kansas City Royals, Zimmer appeared in 16 games, compiling a 1–0 record with a 1.57 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 23 innings pitched.[22] In 2021, he went 4–1 with a 4.83 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 54 innings. Zimmer was designated for assignment on November 19[23] and was released by the Royals on November 24.[24]

Cincinnati Reds

On March 19, 2022, Zimmer signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds.[25] He was released on August 9, 2022.

Personal

Zimmer's younger brother, Bradley, is also a baseball player.[26] Zimmer and his wife, Haley, were married in 2021.

References

  1. ↑ Lewis, Alec (April 1, 2019). "'It's a dream come true': Kyle Zimmer's family on hand as he makes emotion-filled MLB debut". The Athletic. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Kyle Zimmer". Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  3. ↑ FitzGerald, Tom (May 21, 2012). "USF pitcher Kyle Zimmer set to be top draft pick". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  4. ↑ Ortiz, Jorge L. (March 8, 2016). "Brothers Kyle and Bradley Zimmer could pull off rare MLB feat". USA Today. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Orioles draft target: Kyle Zimmer". Capital Gazette. June 1, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  6. 1 2 "2020 Hall of Fame Honoree: Kyle Zimmer, Uncovering Greatness". USFDons.com. February 21, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  7. ↑ "#40 Kyle Zimmer". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Three Diamond Dons Named Top Prospects". USFDons.com. September 8, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  9. ↑ Duber, Vinnie (June 7, 2012). "Royals ink first-round pick Zimmer". MLB.com. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  10. ↑ Mccullough, Andy (March 28, 2014). "Royals pitching prospect Kyle Zimmer to start throwing next week". Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  11. ↑ Marshall, Ashley (October 28, 2014). "Kansas City's Zimmer has shoulder surgery". MILB.com. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Royals add Kyle Zimmer and Bubba Starling to 40-man roster | The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Royals prospect Kyle Zimmer to have surgery to fix thoracic outlet syndrome". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Kyle Zimmer Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ "KC Royals' Kyle Zimmer hoping "dark moments" are behind him | The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  17. ↑ Eddy, Matt (November 6, 2018). "Minor League Free Agents 2018". Baseball America. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Zimmer signs one-year Major League deal". MLB.com. January 4, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  19. ↑ 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.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ "Kyle Zimmer Stats". baseballreference.com. Baseball Reference. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Kyle Zimmer Stats, Fantasy & News | MLB.com". MLB.com.
  23. ↑ "Kyle Zimmer DFA'd amid Royals' series of roster moves". theScore.com. Associated Press. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  24. ↑ Adams, Steve (November 24, 2021). "Kyle Zimmer Clears Release Waivers, Becomes Free Agent". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  25. ↑ Darragh McDonald (March 19, 2022). "Reds To Sign Kyle Zimmer". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  26. ↑ "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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