Virginia's Ryan Zimmerman Selected As The Fourth Overall Pick In The First Round Of The 2005 MLB First-Year Player Draft By The Washington Nationals

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June 7, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – University of Virginia baseball player Ryan Zimmerman (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam) was drafted in the first round as the fourth overall pick by the Washington Nationals in the 2005 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft. With his fourth overall selection in the MLB Draft, Zimmerman becomes the highest drafted Cavalier ever in the MLB Draft. Zimmerman is just the third Virginia player to be selected in the first round of the MLB Draft and is the first UVa player selected in the first round since Seth Greisinger was picked by the Detroit Tigers as the 6th overall pick in the 1996 Draft. Virginia’s other first round pick was Brian Buchanan who was selected by the New York Yankees with the 24th pick in the 1994 Draft.

“Today has been wonderful for me and my family, it’s been a very emotional day,” said Zimmerman. “The Washington Nationals are as close as you can get to my hometown and I’m very excited to be a part of their organization. They have been nothing but great to deal with already. They plan on starting me out in AA (Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League) and they have already shown me a strong commitment. Today has just been kind of a blur – so much has happened and it all really hasn’t sunk in yet. But it’s been great to see all the hard work I’ve put in has really paid off – and that’s very fulfilling.”

Zimmerman is arguably the best player to ever suit up for the Virginia Cavaliers. This season, he was named a 2005 Second Team All-ACC selection and was named to the 2005 ACC All-Tournament Team. He ended his UVa career ranked in several Virginia career statistical categories such as 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 for most hits in a single season with 92, breaking his own former school record of 90 from last season (2004).

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 recorded six home runs and struck out just 14 times all season.

“The Washington Nationals are getting an outstanding player and person in Ryan Zimmerman,” said Virginia head baseball coach Brian O’Connor. “I believe Ryan Zimmerman possesses the ability to advance to the Major League very quickly. And when he arrives in the Major League, I know he will play there for a long time. Ryan Zimmerman is as a complete all-around player as I have ever had an opportunity to coach.”

With his selection in the draft, Zimmerman became the 59th total selection and the 54th player from Virginia selected in the MLB Draft. He is also the 37th player from UVa to be chosen in the draft over the last 17 seasons (since 1989).

Zimmerman was named a 2005 Second Team Preseason All-American by Baseball America and was selected a 2005 Second Team Preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). He was also named a 2005 Third Team Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball.

Zimmerman was named USA Baseball’s Athlete of the Year and was also selected to Baseball America’s 2004 First Team Summer League All-America Team. He guided Team USA to a gold medal finish and earned tournament MVP honors in the World University Games while winning the team Triple Crown en route to setting the US National Team single-season records for batting average (.468).

In 2004, Zimmerman was named a First Team All-ACC selection and was an Honorable Mention All-American choice by College Baseball Insider. He was also named to the 2004 Charlottesville Regional All-Tournament Team and to the 2004 VaSID All-State Team.

Here is a complete look at Virginia players selected in the MLB Draft:

Virginia Players in the Major League Baseball Draft

Year	Player, Position	Round, MLB Organization1966	Edward Turnbull, LHP	17th (Baltimore Orioles)1970	Steve Miller, C	3rd (Boston Red Sox)1971	Mike Cubbage, SS/2B 	2nd (Washington Senators)1972	Bill Hall, 2B	6th (San Diego Padres)1976	Anthony Zentgraf, 3B	17th (Baltimore Orioles)1978	Columbus Duncan, 1B	11th (Milwaukee Brewers)1979	Paul Voigt, RHP	9th (Minnesota Twins)1980	Rickey Horton, LHP 	4th (St. Louis Cardinals)1982	David Hopkins, RHP	14th (Texas Rangers)1983	Tony Latham, OF	4th (Boston Red Sox)1983	Glenn Harris, 1B	21st (St. Louis Cardinals)1983	George Priftis, 2B	26th (Seattle Mariners)1985	Tim Burcham, RHP	6th (California Angels)1986	Bill Narleski, SS	18th (Baltimore Orioles)1986	Bob Malloy, RHP 	19th (Texas Rangers)1988	Tom Crowley, 2B	38th (Philadelphia Phillies)1989	Keith Seiler, LHP	18th (New York Yankees)1989	Chris Kughn, OF	25th (Atlanta Braves)1990	Doug Johns, LHP 	16th (Oakland Athletics)1990	Keith Seiler, LHP	21st (New York Yankees)1991	Todd Fiegel, LHP	11th  (New York Mets)1991	Todd Ruyak, LHP	17th (Detroit Tigers)1992	Frank Lankford, RHP	18th (St. Louis Cardinals)1992	Todd Ruyak, LHP	31st (Cincinnati Reds)1992	John Cappelmann, RHP	45th (St. Louis Cardinals)1992	Kevin Stock, LHP	48th (Seattle Mariners)1993	Seth Greisinger, RHP 	7th (Cleveland Indians)1993	Frank Lankford, RHP	16th (New York Yankees)1993	Adam Robinson, SS	30th (Chicago Cubs)1993	Deron Dowhower, RHP	34th (Minnesota Twins)1993	Jason Cook, SS	55th (Seattle Mariners)1994	Brian Buchanan, OF	1st (New York Yankees)1994	Yates Hall, RHP	4th (St. Louis Cardinals)1994	Pat Daneker, RHP	40th (Boston Red Sox)1994	Reid Beucler, RHP	65th (Detroit Tigers)1995	Casey Crawford, 1B	16th (Atlanta Braves)1996	Seth Greisinger, RHP 	1st (Detroit Tigers)1996	Jason Sekany, RHP	2nd (Boston Red Sox)1996	Adam Robinson, SS	52nd (Minnesota Twins)1997	Greg Withelder, LHP	3rd (Minnesota Twins)1997	Pat Daneker, RHP	5th (Chicago White Sox)1997	Adam Robinson, SS	12th (Oakland Athletics)1997	Geoff Zawatski, RHP	14th (Philadelphia Phillies)1998	Javier Lopez, LHP	4th (Arizona Diamondbacks)1999	Julian Gonzalez, OF	36th (Kansas City Royals)2000	Jon Metzger, LHP	13th (Kansas City Royals)2000	Tim LaVigne, RHP/SS	32nd (New York Mets)2000	Kevin Shrout, RHP	43rd (Milwaukee Brewers)2001	Jon Benick, INF	9th (San Diego Padres)2001	Hunter Wyant, SS	16th (Florida Marlins)2002	Robert Word, 1B	10th (Florida Marlins)2002	Dan Street, INF	20th (Colorado Rockies)2002	David Stone, OF	36th (San Francisco Giants)2002	Chris Sweet, OF	37th (San Francisco Giants)2004	Andrew Dobies, LHP	3rd (Boston Red Sox)2004	Joe Koshansky, LHP/1B	6th (Colorado Rockies)2004	Mark Reynolds, SS	16th (Arizona Diamondbacks)2004	Jeff Kamrath, RHP	36th (Cleveland Indians)2005	Ryan Zimmerman, SS	1st (Washington Nationals)

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