Congratulations!

That's very cool.

Let me know when he makes it to Gwinnett, I'll get some pics for you!

another nice mid-season blurb about the 'stache.

quote:

24.) Bruce Zimmermann
Please raise your hand if you predicted that Bruce Zimmermann would have the season he’s having. Good, now that all the liars are out of the way let’s talk about this guy. A fifth round draft pick out of Mount Olive College in North Carolina, Bruce Zimmermann has morphed himself into legitimate prospect thanks to his very polished control. Bruce has been absolutely fantastic in 2018 - highlighted by his sheer domination of A-ball (something you should expect given his age, but it’s not guaranteed). Through 14 starts with Rome, Bruce had a 2.76 ERA, 2.67 FIP, 10.5 K/9, and 1.9 BB/9 rate - that’s complete and utter domination. As a result Bruce skipped A+ ball and was promoted to AA Mississippi where he has held his ground more than well - to the tune of a 1.46 ERA, 10.22 K/9, but 5.11 BB/9 (12.1 innings). For the season so far these are Bruce’s numbers: 8-3, 2.60 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 10.48 K/9, 2.32 BB/9 - extremely impressive for someone that was playing D2 baseball just two years ago.

So how is he doing it? It’s the mustache. It has to be the mustache. But really, the best way to describe it is that he’s a pitcher in every sense of the word. Zimmermann throws a fastball that sits in the low 90s, an average curve, and an average change. His fastball has solid sink to it which shows in his high GB% (~48%), but the other offerings are average. What he does excel in is his command. He works well to both sides of the plate and can locate all three of his pitches pretty well. He has decent splits versus left and right handed batters but he’s been very effective versus lefties (.197/.256/.254).

https://www.talkingchop.com/20...nn-cumberland-weigel

sounds like your nephew is now a Baltimore Oriole.

https://twitter.com/Braves/status/1024388295797694464

Yep....

Atlanta Braves
‏Verified account @Braves

The Atlanta #Braves today acquired RHP Kevin Gausman and RHP Darren O’Day from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor leaguers RHP Evan Phillips, INF Jean Carlos Encarnación, C Brett Cumberland, LHP Bruce Zimmerman and international signing slots.


What I heard from my bro-in-law is that Bruce really likes the way Atlanta handles its' pitchers but we will see how it goes ....

This is probably a good thing. The Orioles really need help and it may give him a chance to get to "the show". Atlanta was really stocked with great pitching prospects. Besides, the family lives in Woodstock, MD which is not far from Baltimore.

Let's go O's!

Bruce will make it to the show, but it will be in the tough AL East. O’s do need the help, so welcome to Charm City!

I wish him well!

Well that is AWESOME for your nephew, but now I won't have the off chance of seeing him in Jackson, MS. Congrats and drat all at the same time...

quote:

but now I won't have the off chance of seeing him in Jackson, MS...

I feel the same way. With my daughter in the Memphis area now we were planning a trip from her house to see him in Jackson, MS...

I thought his name sounded familiar on the MLB trades. Since the O's have mostly local minor league teams, now I have a chance to see him.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:
This is probably a good thing. The Orioles really need help and it may give him a chance to get to "the show".

Orioles are not going to contend for the post season. Usually, these type of clubs will pull up prospects from the minors in September to see how well they play in a more competitive setting (the minors emphasize player development). Look for him making an appearance in Baltimore in September.

Newly acquired Orioles prospect Bruce Zimmermann looking to establish himself with hometown team

It only took about five minutes from the time left-handed pitcher Bruce Zimmermann found out he had been traded to his hometown team for his phone to start going off continuously.

“It was beeping for the next few hours,” Zimmermann said. “Everybody from old coaches to relatives to friends from high school, guys I played summer ball with when I was 13 and 14. It was pretty awesome to see the reception from everybody back home.”

Zimmermann, a Woodstock native and Loyola Blakefield product who also played his first two years of college ball at Towson, was in the clubhouse with Double-A Mississippi at the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline when he received word he was one of four minor leaguers traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Orioles for pitchers Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day.
'His poise is well beyond his years': Top Orioles pick Grayson Rodriguez thriving early in career

“Everybody grows up wanting to play for their hometown team as a young baseball player and that never changes,” said Zimmermann, 23. “It’s always been a dream of mine to come back and play for the Orioles. When I heard the news, I was just shocked. The Braves are a first-class organization and I had no complaints about being in their system.

“I was really settling in and getting to know everybody there, the coaches and the players. You never really want to leave an organization like that, especially when they have that good a reputation, such good personnel and stuff like that. But there’s a lot of personal benefits from coming home … so I’m looking forward to making the most of it.”

This year, Zimmerman’s first full pro season after the Braves selected him in the fifth round of the 2017 draft out of Division II Mount Olive, has been a whirlwind. He’s gone from starting the season at Low-A Rome, pitching exceptionally there, then skipping the High-A level and drawing a surprise promotion to Double-A Mississippi before changing organizations. He is expected to be slotted into the Double-A Bowie starting rotation.

If anything, one of the biggest challenges for any pitcher coming up through the Braves system is distinguishing himself in a farm system deep in promising arms at all levels. But that’s what Zimmermann accomplished with Rome, going 7-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 14 starts, striking out 99 with 18 walks in 84 2/3 innings, earning a promotion to Double-A.

“I had no idea that was going to happen,” said Zimmermann, who has a low-90s fastball, mid-80s changeup and a developing curveball. “I just tried to put my head down and go out there every day and put my work in, and whatever moves happen happen. That definitely wasn’t something that was on my mind. The only thing that was on my mind was the notion that I’d probably be in Low-A the whole year because of the guys ahead of me. I was content with the fact that I probably wasn’t going to get out of Rome this year. Obviously, something else was in the works.”

Zimmermann was 2-1 with a 3.14 ERA in six Double-A starts, but is still transitioning to a new level. His walk totals were up (19 in 28 2/3 innings) and his ground-ball rate of 39 percent is lower than the 47.2 percent mark he compiled in Rome.

“Skipping a level can be kind of nerve wracking, but I was just trying to stick to the game plan,” Zimmermann said. “The game just basically speeds up. The talent is better, but for the most part, the game just gets a little bit quicker. I try to remember that because it is daunting to be able to skip a level, but at the same time you want to make the most of that opportunity and ride out the rest of the year. I kind of just tried to stick with what I knew and what got me success so far this season and trust my defense behind me, quick outs, stuff like that.”

Now, Zimmermann faces a new challenge of establishing himself in a new organization.

“Basically the game plan for the rest of the year is fine-tuning some of the mechanical stuff and developing that curveball,” Zimmermann said. “I think in the second half of the season, that was the main goal with the Braves, refining the curveball and throwing it whenever I need to. Because I’m with a new organization, I think my main goal is coming here and trying to establish myself as much as possible before the end of the year.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sp...-20180808-story.html

Man...REALLY proud of that nephew of yours!! I was honestly hoping his interview would go something like this:

Great.

Brad Komminsk was from my high school and played for the Braves.

Nephew pitched D1 ball and was on track, being scouted by a Phillys scout...until the scout died and my nephew hurt his arm.

It takes a lot to make that, be proud of that.

Off to a good start with the Bowie Baysox:

8/12: Zimmermann Dominates In 3-1 Baysox Debut
Three-run first inning helps lefty in Orioles org. debut

BOWIE, Md. - LHP Bruce Zimmermann held the Hartford Yard Goats to a run over five innings to help the Bowie Baysox sweep a rain-shortened series with a 3-1 win in six innings in front of 6,530 at Dunkin' Donuts Park Sunday evening.

In his first start since July 27 with Double-A the Double-A Mississippi Braves, the lefty made his first start as a member of the Baltimore Orioles farm system. After allowing a first-inning run, Zimmermann scattered three hits over the final four innings, striking out five Yard Goats (53-63).

Zimmermann evaded a couple potential Hartford threats through the middle innings of the scheduled doubleheader's first game. After a fielding error placed a runner on second base with one out in the third inning, the native Marylander needed seven pitches to strike Dom Nunez out swinging and Roberto Ramos to fly out to Ryan McKenna in center field. Hartford led off the fourth inning with a pair of singles, but Zimmermann retired Brian Mundell, Brandon Bednar and Nelson Molina in order to prevent any further offensive threats. Ramos would step into the box as the tying run in the fifth inning, but struck out on four pitches to make the first game official.

All of the Baysox (54-62) offense came in the first inning during an immediate three-run rally. Hartford starter Ryan Castellani walked four of the first five batters, with an Aderlin Rodriguez sacrifice fly being the only non-walk. The 70th RBI for the first baseman scored Ryan McKenna to put the visitors on top early. After a Yusniel Diaz walk, Anderson Feliz lined a RBI single to left field to plate Corban Joseph, while Rylan Bannon lifted the inning's second sacrifice fly to center field to score Ryan Mountcastle.

https://www.milb.com/bowie/new...ox-debut/c-290104842

One for the future: Evaluating Orioles prospect Bruce Zimmermann

Without much to look forward to this year in terms of the major league club, which is on its way to one of the worst seasons in baseball history, the Orioles' focus will shift toward the next generation of players they hope will help reverse that before long.

The regular "One for the Future" feature, which began in mid-July, will highlight an Orioles minor leaguer who is on the radar for either prospect status, performance or pedigree.

Next, a look at left-hander Bruce Zimmermann, who the Orioles acquired in a six-player trade from the Atlanta Braves on July 31.

A local product who went to Towson University after graduating from Loyola Blakefield in 2013, Zimmermann pitched as a starter and reliever for the Tigers before transferring to Division II Mount Olive (N.C.) and seeing his career take off. He had a 3.19 ERA and a 3.18 ERA over 15 starts in each of his two near-identical seasons, and the Braves used their fifth-round pick on Zimmermann last summer.

He gave a glimpse of what he’d grown into in North Carolina in his professional debut last summer for High-A Danville, striking out 28.8 percent of the batters he faced (28 of 97) with a 3.09 ERA in 23 1/3 innings.
The present

Zimmermann got a starting assignment for Low-A Rome this season in the Braves’ organization and earned South Atlantic League All-Star honors while going 7-3 with a 2.76 ERA, a 29 percent strikeout rate and a 1.09 WHIP. The Braves jumped him over the Carolina League entirely to bump him to Double-A Mississippi, where he didn’t miss a beat. In six starts, Zimmermann had a 3.14 ERA, and though his walk rate spiked a bit and he had a lower strikeout rate, that didn’t stop the Orioles from including him in the four-player package for Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day.

He’s been as-advertised since coming to the Orioles. He made two starts and allowed three runs (two earned) with seven strikeouts and 11 runners allowed before his home debut Thursday, which came in front of scores of friends and family. Zimmermann allowed a run on three hits with five strikeouts in a 3-1 win over Richmond.

Zimmermann’s outing Thursday paints an intriguing picture of what he could be going forward, even if it’s not the most exciting package. The caveat was that Richmond stacked eight right-handed batters against him, which basically cut off half his arsenal but also showed the kinds of challenges he’ll face at higher levels — and how he can effectively attack them.

His fastball was regularly in the 88-90 mph range, and he located well armside for strikes and weak contact. He’d touch 91-92 mph late and while ahead in counts, and though those pitches didn’t have the same life, it still jumped on hitters from his three-quarters delivery. His changeup plays off that pitch phenomenally, sitting in the 81-84 mph range with identical arm speed. He got three swinging strikeouts and five swinging strikes on the pitch, and plenty of weak contact.

That’s how he’ll best attack a right-handed lineup, which is what he’ll be faced with more often than not in a game that’s more and more right-hand dominant with each passing year. The only left-handed batter he faced Thursday had a pair of singles off him, the only hits he allowed other than a leadoff home run to open the second inning.

His background suggests that’s not how it goes typically, with left-handers hitting .198 with just six extra-base hits and 58 strikeouts against 15 walks in 185 plate appearances against him entering Thursday.

His breaking ball, which he threw sparingly Thursday, would be a weapon against left-handers should he see more in a game. But it could also be a weapon against right-handers, burying it on the back foot or stealing strikes on the outside edge.

The total package is that of a back-end starter at the absolute best, with some lefty-on-lefty potential out of the bullpen on the downside. But unlike other Orioles pitching prospects, such as Keegan Akin, who could see their stuff tick up out of the bullpen, it’s unclear what kind of bump Zimmermann could experience from that.

A more apt comparison in the system might be an older version of Alex Wells, another lefty without high-end velocity but some deception and an ability to miss bats with a changeup who would have the most opportunity to deliver value as a starter.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sp...-20180824-story.html

I spent some time with Bruce and his family over the holidays. He's eating right and seriously working out even over the holidays.

His father tells me that he and his agent met with the new General Manager of the Orioles last Friday. Bruce will probably join the Major League team at spring training late (around the 20th of February, not the 12th when the Big Leaguers report). But he will work out with the Major League team until Minor League camp opens on March 3rd.

Congrats!

Will be very cool if I get to see him when he comes to play the Yankees.

Best of luck to Bruce! If the stars align maybe he will pitch to a pal of mine, the grandson of one of my friends, Drew Ellis who is a third baseman in the Arizona organization. Drew will hopefully play AAA ball this year.