Drafted in the 7th round (216th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2016 (signed for $175,000).
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A transfer from Mesa (Ariz.) CC, Zimmerman doesn't look like a first baseman. He's a somewhat slender (6-foot-1, 186-pound) righthanded hitter who hits at the top of the lineup. But Michigan State needed a first baseman after Alex Troup was sidelined for the season, so they slid Zimmerman from second to first and watched him hit like a first baseman. Zimmerman led the Spartans in batting average (.374), home runs (9) and slugging percentage (.594). Zimmerman has a pretty simple righthanded stroke, geared more for average than power, although he has demonstrated some surprising pop this year. Zimmerman rolled an ankle in May but he showed off above-average run times before that (6.7 60-yard dash). Zimmerman is a below-average defender at second thanks to footwork issues and an unconventional arm action, but he has quick hands. He also runs enough to play left field and has track record after a strong summer in the Northwoods League last year (.296, 8 HR).
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Zimmerman went undrafted out of high school in the Phoenix area and two seasons at Mesa (Ariz.) CC. After not drawing interest from the major college programs in Arizona, Zimmerman headed off to Michigan State and posted a .373/.461/.594 slash line, leading the Spartans in batting average, home runs and slugging percentage. The Angels subsequently drafted him in the seventh round and signed for a $175,000 bonus. Zimmerman continued to rake with a .422/.478/.639 line at Rookie-level Orem but struggled after a promotion to the low Class A Midwest League, hitting only .154/.236/.208 while he adjusted to better-caliber pitching. Scouts were impressed with the strides Zimmerman made in instructional league, where he consistently found the barrel and was better defensively at second base than expected. He has a strong body with plus raw power, using a swing that's a bit linear and has some length to it. He's a fringe-average runner. Zimmerman played some first base at Michigan State out of need and scouts believe he's athletic enough to handle a corner outfield spot, so he could ultimately fit a utility profile. He'll return to Burlington to start 2017 for another shot at the Midwest League.
Draft Prospects
A transfer from Mesa (Ariz.) CC, Zimmerman doesn't look like a first baseman. He's a somewhat slender (6-foot-1, 186-pound) righthanded hitter who hits at the top of the lineup. But Michigan State needed a first baseman after Alex Troup was sidelined for the season, so they slid Zimmerman from second to first and watched him hit like a first baseman. Zimmerman led the Spartans in batting average (.374), home runs (9) and slugging percentage (.594). Zimmerman has a pretty simple righthanded stroke, geared more for average than power, although he has demonstrated some surprising pop this year. Zimmerman rolled an ankle in May but he showed off above-average run times before that (6.7 60-yard dash). Zimmerman is a below-average defender at second thanks to footwork issues and an unconventional arm action, but he has quick hands. He also runs enough to play left field and has track record after a strong summer in the Northwoods League last year (.296, 8 HR).
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