Catching Up with Zimmermann ‘13

Catching Up with Bruce Zimmermann ’13

One day you are a kid watching one of your favorite baseball players on TV. Fast-forward over a decade later, and you are standing on a pitching mound, staring down a legend, and determining which pitches to send his way. For Bruce Zimmermann ’13, this situation has become a regular part of his reality. An April game against the Los Angeles Angels was a perfect example. After growing up and watching Mike Trout win MVP awards and carve a legacy as of one of the game’s all-time greats, he was now serving him fastballs. When he struck him out in the fourth inning, along with striking out the reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani three times, the feeling was almost surreal. “Getting to meet the guys you grew up watching is awesome,” said Zimmermann. “I’m still at a point where I kind of pinch myself when I’m looking at a lineup card before a game.”

The pathway to Major League Baseball requires dedication, determination, and countless hours perfecting one’s fitness and craft. For Zimmermann, his MLB journey started long before his name was called by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the 2017 amateur draft. Years of youth baseball, travel teams, and lessons from dad—Bruce Sr. served as his early pitching coach—were just the start.

In 2009, Bruce enrolled at Cardinal Gibbons High School, but his time there would be cut short due to the school’s closure at the conclusion of his freshman year. He would begin his time at Loyola as a sophomore in 2010. “I look back very fondly on the three years I spent at Loyola,” said Zimmermann. “From day one meeting some of my friends, and then the end of sophomore year meeting the baseball guys for the first time—a group of guys that I am still incredibly close with to this day. And then obviously things like Kairos, graduation day in the Hollow, and hanging out at the senior benches stick out as elements of my Loyola experience that made it so special.”

As a member of the Loyola baseball team, Zimmermann recalls the opportunity to not only be surrounded with great teammates, but to have excellent coaches who helped guide his development as a player and aided him in his ascension to the next level. “From a baseball perspective, Coaches Crowley and Kelly had a tremendous impact on my career,” said Zimmermann. “Coach Kelly was instrumental in connecting me with an opportunity to play at a DI program at Towson University, which definitely jump-started things on the baseball front for me.”

Looking back on his time as a student, Zimmermann recalls a few notable memories. “One of my favorite classes was Mr. Shapiro’s architecture course. Outside of baseball, that’s likely the route I would have taken since that class was such a highlight for me, and my dad is an architect so the passion for it was always there. But beyond that, I just remember so many great memories like AP Bio with Mr. Donovan and Fr. Joe’s limitless presence across campus. Everyone with whom I came in contact had some sort of impact on me, big and small.”

Zimmermann completed his college career at the University of Mount Olive. Then, in the spring of 2017, a day of which many young athletes dream finally arrived. “The Braves had been in touch the most, reaching out, inquiring, and conducting interviews, so I had a strong feeling they might take me. When draft day came, the only surprise was how much earlier they took me,” said Zimmermann. The day came with a bonus as he had a chance to share the news with a local baseball legend. “When I was drafted, I was on the phone with a family friend who works as a financial manager, and he happened to have Brooks Robinson in the car while we were speaking.” Brooks provided some simple words of advice: “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” Being drafted as a senior wasn’t going to bring the signing bonus normally reserved for high school signees in early rounds, but this meant Bruce needed to seize his chance at professional baseball. “He reminded me that all you are looking for at this stage is the opportunity. It doesn’t matter how much money you are getting versus some of the other guys, all you need is that opportunity.”

With draft day behind him, Bruce was ready to begin an exciting journey into professional baseball, a ticket so few ever get punched. “I didn’t know a lot about the Braves’ system, but I realized quickly how much pitching they had, especially ahead of me in the minor leagues,” said Zimmermann. “So, as I began it wasn’t really about having a long game at that point; it was more of an attitude of just trying to enjoy three months of professional ball.”

In 2018, Zimmermann attended his first spring training and gained an even greater sense of what it takes to not only continue his playing career, but to maintain hopes of reaching the next level. “Spring training gave me a better sense of where I stood in the organization and what I might have to do to elevate myself in a system that was stacked with good arms,” said Zimmermann. An all-star season in the South Atlantic League confirmed his place in the organization and provided an added layer of confidence on which to continue his climb to the majors. But first came an additional stop along the big league route. “I got promoted two levels to Double-A, skipping over High-A, and as I look back on it, it was definitely a sink or swim moment. My feeling was that I was a late sign, not someone they have a lot of money invested in, and this is where the organization is going to see what they have in me and how far they can push me. Luckily, I swam.”

He enjoyed some of his early success—signs that the hard work was indeed paying off and that the road ahead may include a future at the highest level. But a professional ball player never gets too comfortable in any one place. On July 31, 2018 (the date of the MLB trade deadline), the Braves sent him to Baltimore in a six-player deal. “That was a funny day,” said Zimmermann. “I remember my sister, who wasn’t all that versed in the intricacies of deadline transactions, calling me or texting me asking if I’m being traded. I assured her they just don’t randomly trade us and told her not to worry and that I wasn’t going anywhere.” Within minutes of that conversation, a call to report to the manager’s office came his way, which immediately sends a chill up even the most seasoned professional athletes. The news was relayed that he was headed to his hometown team’s Double-A affiliate, news that capped off what he remembers as an incredibly wild day. “I think my parents were more excited than I was. It was great to be coming back closer to home, and I remember hearing from so many people who knew I’d be coming back to be part of the hometown team.”

Bruce completed his Double-A season and entered the offseason primed to continue to focus on his fitness and pitching craft, the type of work that isn’t witnessed under the bright lights of stadiums and fielded by the roar of spirited fans. “All of the big jumps and physical gains happen in the offseason,” said Zimmermann. “The demanding schedule over the course of 162 games means you are priming yourself to compete and trying to maintain, so the offseason becomes critical.”

Bruce spent a lot of his time at a training facility that provided everything he needed to focus on building his strength while also striving to perfect his pitching mechanics. As a minor leaguer, the opportunity to put in work on his baseball career meant having to also find ways to support himself in the offseason. “I worked so many different jobs,” said Zimmermann. “The trick was always finding ways to fit work around my training schedule.” In addition to a stint at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Zimmermann worked as an Instacart shopper, a freelance handyman for Tackle, and worked youth camps or provided pitching lessons. “I grew up watching my dad fix anything and everything around the house, so Tackle seemed like an easy one for me,” said Zimmermann. “It’s a balancing act in the minor leagues as you figure out how to make the training schedule work around everything else.” His upbringing and experience girding his way through the rigors of pro ball have kept him grounded. “It’s definitely a little bit different now that I can afford to not work at Dick’s Sporting Goods in the offseason, which is nice.”

Being part of his hometown team was special, but given where the organization was heading, Zimmermann saw his trade as a potentially lifechanging opportunity—one that might propel him to the highest level of competition his sport had to offer. “It was clear that the Orioles were in full rebuild mode,” said Zimmermann. “Looking at it from that perspective, I knew the opportunity to thrive and advance was much greater than what I had in Atlanta where they were further along in their rebuild.” At this point, Bruce was already a few years into a self-defined five-year plan—one that he promised to reassess as time went on. The reality of the rebuild in Baltimore, however, provided the fuel needed to accelerate the plan. “I know that I could move up in the organization since they were looking for guys to step up,” said Zimmermann. That long-awaited call came in 2020 when he was assigned to the Major League roster. He also soon learned that he would make his MLB debut in Tampa. “It all happened a bit sooner than expected, so it was definitely a roller coaster going from one team to another, settling in, then finally realizing I would be making my debut for my hometown team.” The 2020 season was unfolding under a variety of COVID-19 restrictions, which meant his start against the Rays on September 17th took place without the benefit of fans in the seats. “Looking back on it, there was this strange singularity to the situation that made the moment a bit more unique, even though it was already a great day to begin with.”

When he took the mound for the first time at Camden Yards in 2022, Zimmermann became the team’s first hometown player to serve as the starting pitcher in a home opening day game. Reflecting on the most memorable moments of his career so far, his debut in Tampa and a big outing at Fenway in 2020, which included his entire family making the trip to witness his start against the Red Sox, both stand out. He looks forward to the prospect of a playoff game down the line, but for now, the opening day start remains at the top of his list. “I don't think I'll ever be able to top the home opener from this year. That was hands down one of the coolest things I've ever or will ever be able to do. You feel like your heart going a thousand beats a minute in the bullpen before, and then you finally step on the mound and you’re just hoping you don't sail one to the backstop on the first pitch. Thankfully, Randy Arozarena swung at the first pitch and lined out, so I got the first pitch and the first out of the way very quickly.”

Once he starts talking about his time as a professional ball player, Zimmermann enjoys telling stories about some of the early on- and off-field highlights of his career. There’s the first time staying in a five-star hotel in Toronto, which was a major upgrade from the conditions of the average minor league road trip. But what he really loves talking about is the preparation that goes into each season and the grind along the way that keeps a starting pitcher performing at the highest level. “Every gain and edge that you find, especially as a pitcher, is so minute,” said Zimmermann. “There is also a mental grind to the season, so it’s important to find little measures of success along the way, even on your bad days, so that you see how those gains stack up over the long haul of a 162-game season.”

As he reflects on his time at Loyola and the path he’s taken to Major League Baseball, Zimmermann offers some words of advice to young Dons. “The one thing I would say is to be present during the time you have at Loyola. Be fully invested in the relationships with your teachers and friends, as well as the opportunities that the school provides for clubs, classes, and just ways to grow. Loyola is the springboard for so much of what is to come in your life. It’s an environment that enables everyone to strive to do more. This means learning not to settle for less than your highest aspirations.”