Ryan Zimmerman Expected to Make Major League Debut Tonight

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Sept. 1, 2005

Atlanta, Ga. – Former University of Virginia baseball star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is expected to make his major league debut tonight when the Washington Nationals face the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field at 7:35 p.m. The game will be televised by TBS.

Zimmerman, 20, was the Nationals first-round pick (fourth selection overall) in June’s First-Year Player Draft. He becomes the second player from this year’s draft to make it to the major leagues following Braves’ rookie right-hander Joey Devine.

Zimmerman joins the Nationals after hitting a combined .337 (83-for-246) with 11 home runs and 38 RBI in his first professional season at Class AA Harrisburg and Class A Savannah. The Virginia Beach, Va., native has hit more homers with a wood bat (11) than he did using an aluminum bat (six) during his last season at UVa.

“He has been very impressive by the way he plays the game,” interim general manager Jim Bowden said in a story posted on the Nationals’ website. “Defensively, he makes plays you don’t even think a third baseman makes. He moves runners, he is always scoring a run and driving in a run.”

The Nationals are currently 69-64 overall, two-and-a-half games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the race for the National League wildcard.

“It’s nice to be able to expose a young future star for a pennant race,” Bowden said. “No matter how much he plays, the experience he is about to get here will be invaluable.

“Vinny (Castilla) is our third baseman, and we are trying to win. You have to give people days off. You have to keep people healthy and you have to play the best players to win. It’s a big adjustment from college to the big leagues in a couple of months. [Zimmerman] is not here to be a savior.”

Zimmerman is arguably the best player to ever suit up for the Cavaliers. He was a second-team All-ACC selection this past spring and was named to the 2005 ACC All-Tournament Team. He ended his collegiate career ranked in several UVa career statistical categories, including fifth in doubles (47), sixth in hits (250) and seventh in RBI (140) after three seasons of action. He also established a new school record in 2005 for most hits in a season with 92, breaking his own record of 90 last season.

In 2005, Zimmerman started all 61 games he appeared in at either third base (his primary position) or shortstop. He led Virginia with a .393 batting average, 92 hits, 59 RBI, 51 runs, 18 doubles, four triples, .581 slugging percentage, 136 total bases and 17 stolen bases (17-for-21). He also hit six home runs and struck out just 14 times.