Jordan Zimmermann Stats & Scouting Report

IP	1614
ERA	4.071
WHIP	1.251
BB/9	1.929
SO/9	7.087

Full name Jordan M. Zimmermann
Born 05/23/1986 in Auburndale, WI
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Debut 04/20/2009
Drafted in the 2nd round (67th overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2007 (signed for $495,000).

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Zimmermann jumped up prospect lists last summer, when he led the Northwoods League in ERA (1.01) and strikeouts (92 in 80 innings) and ranked as the circuit's top prospect. Scouts haven't had an easy time following him this spring, however. Zimmermann broke his jaw in two places when he was struck by a batted ball while pitching live batting practice during an offseason workout. He missed three games and lost 10 pounds, and having wisdom teeth pulled during the season didn't help him regain his strength. Bad early-season weather also made it difficult to keep him on a regular schedule. Zimmermann's stuff was improving as the season went on, and he was consistently working in the low 90s and showing a quality slider as Wisconsin-Stevens Point entered the NCAA Division III playoffs. He also throws a changeup with promising action and uses a loopy curveball as a fourth pitch. Zimmermann regularly touched 93-95 in the Northwoods League, and scouts expect him to show that velocity more often as he adds more strength to his 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame. He could go as high as the second round, but the third round is more likely.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

After starring as a two-way player for NCAA Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point as a sophomore in 2006, Zimmermann exploded onto the prospect landscape that summer in the Northwoods League. He posted a circuit-best 1.01 ERA and 92 strikeouts, boosting his draft stock and ranking as the league's No. 1 prospect. That offseason, he broke his jaw in two places when he was struck by a line drive while throwing live batting practice in a workout. He missed the first three games of the season and lost 10 pounds, then had his wisdom teeth removed during the season. Zimmermann battled through the adversity, earning honors at the Division III College World Series, becoming the first player ever to receive that award without his team reaching the title game. He pitched a complete-game one-hitter with 10 strikeouts against Emory (Ga.), and batted .615 with two homers in four games as a DH. The Nationals signed him for $495,000 after getting him in the second round, and they've said he could have been a top-10 pick had he been healthy and at a higher-profile program. Washington aggressively pushed him to high Class A Potomac to begin his first full pro season, and he needed just five starts to prove he was ready for Double-A Harrisburg, where he ranked as the Eastern League's No. 5 prospect. Zimmermann is the rare pitcher who projects to have four average or better offerings in the majors. He attacks hitters with a 90-94 mph four-seam fastball that occasionally touches 95. It's a heavy fastball with riding action, and he commands it very well to both sides of the plate, evoking Curt Schilling. Zimmermann also mixes in a sinking two-seamer around 90 mph. He holds his velocity deep into games, works quickly and pounds the strike zone. His slider was his No. 2 pitch in college, but the Nationals wanted him to focus more on tightening his curveball early in his pro career. As a result, he has added power to the curve, which now sits at 75-78 mph and rates as a fringe-average offering, projecting as solid-average or a tick above. His tight, hard-breaking 84-87 slider is mostly average now but has its moments as a plus pitch, and his straight changeup isn't far from being average. Zimmermann has a clean delivery from a high three-quarters slot and a strong, durable frame. His athleticism helps him field his position well, hold runners, handle the bat and bunt well. An intense competitor, he's serious about his craft. The Nationals forced Zimmermann to throw 15-20 changeups per game in 2008, and while his feel for the pitch is improving, he's still learning how and when to use it. He has good arm speed with the pitch and is effective when he throws it around 82 mph, but he tends to throw it a bit too hard. At times his delivery gets a little too rotational, causing him to get on the side of his slider and turning it into more of a cutter. The slider can be a plus pitch if he can stay on top of it more often. His curveball also lacks consistency. It's easy to envision Zimmermann refining his command of his secondary stuff quickly and reaching the big leagues by the 2009 all-star break, if not sooner. He figures to start the year at Washington's new Triple-A Syracuse affiliate. He profiles as a frontline starter--probably a solid No. 2 on a first-division club.
After bursting onto the prospect landscape with a dominant 2006 summer in the Northwoods League, Zimmermann took a line drive off his jaw while throwing batting practice in an offseason workout. That injury, combined with bad weather in Wisconsin and some missed time when he had his wisdom teeth pulled, affected his spring and caused him to drop to the second round. The Nationals, who signed him for $495,000, think he could have been a top-10 pick had he pitched at a higher-profile program. Zimmermann's heavy, boring 90-94 fastball is an above-average pitch. He entered professional ball with a pair of quality breaking balls, but the Nationals had him shelve his slider for now and focus on his plus downer curveball with sharp, late bite. He has a sturdy frame and strong legs, and his three-quarters delivery is smooth. He's a very good athlete for a pitcher and was named MVP of the 2007 Division III College World Series after starring as a two-way player. Though Zimmermann can command his fastball to both sides of the plate, he sometimes leaves the pitch up in the zone. His secondary stuff needs to get more consistent, particularly his changeup. An intense competitor, he must avoid letting his perfectionist tendencies get the best of him. Zimmermann should skip a level and jump to high Class A to start 2008. He could be a mid-rotation starter by 2009.

Minor League Top Prospects

Zimmermann had no trouble making the jump to Double-A 11 months after the Nationals drafted him in the second round. His athleticism stood out to scouts and allowed him to command four pitches for strikes, including a fastball that sits at 93 mph and reaches 95. He locates his fastball to both sides of the plate and pitches inside aggressively. Zimmermann also throws both a power slider and hard curveball to go with a straight changeup that has made progress to become an average pitch. He'll need to refine his command at higher levels to keep the ball in the park more often, but he isn't far from being able to help in the big leagues. "He's very athletic, and I liked his tempo," a National League scout said. "He uses his fastball to both sides. I really liked his mound presence."
Zimmermann burst onto the prospect landscape during the summer of 2006, when he led the wood-bat Northwoods League in ERA (1.01) and was named the top prospect in that strong summer collegiate circuit. He pitched through a broken jaw and pulled wisdom teeth this spring and continued to dominate Division III competition, but he truly peaked this summer against far better hitters in the NY-P. Zimmermann's heavy, sinking fastball sits at 91-93 mph range and touches 94, and its life makes it a true plus pitch. He attacks the strike zone with his fastball, his hard slider with late bite and his decent changeup. He's also working on a 12-to-6 curveball because the Nationals don't like their young pitchers to throw sliders. Zimmermann has strong legs and good mechanics, and he should only get better the more he pitches in warmer weather. "I think he's a sure-fire big leaguer," Oneonta manager Andy Barkett said. "He comes right at you with a very lively fastball, good slider and good changeup. He has a great arm action, and he has a powerful presence on the mound."