Kyle Zimmer #45

Full name is Kyle Joseph Zimmer...resides in La Jolla, Calif., during the offseason ... Graduated from La Jolla (Calif.) High School in 2009... batted .410 as a senior ... Attended the University of San Francisco, where he moved from third base to the mound as a freshman...led pitching staff with 89 strikeouts in 2011 ... A two-time first-team All-West Coast Conference honoree and was selected a preseason second-team All-American by Baseball America and to the Midseason USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Watch List ... Pursued a business degree at USF, where he was named to the 2012 WCC All-Academic team ... Father, Eric, played baseball at UC-San Diego, while his mother, Cathy, ran track at San Diego State...younger brother, Bradley, was a first-round selection by the Cleveland Indians in 2014 and made his Major League debut last season.

Spent majority of the season with Omaha (AAA), after opening the year at Northwest Arkansas (AA)…combined to make 21 appearances and three starts, posting a 5.40 ERA (22 ER in 36.1 IP) with three saves in three chances ... Missed nearly two months of action, being placed on the disabled list on April 24 with a right shoulder injury… reinstated on June 13…worked exclusively out of the bullpen following the DL stint ... Over his final eight outings, posted a 2.61 ERA (3 ER in 10.1 IP) with five walks and 12 strikeouts in that span (July 19 to end of season) ... Made one start for the Naturals, allowing one run on six hits over 4.0 innings, taking a no-decision in a 5-3 loss to San Antonio ... Entered the season rated as the No. 10 prospect in the Royals' organization, according to Baseball America.

Injuries limited him to three starts, pitching at Northwest Arkansas (AA) and Wilmington (A)...Surrendered just one earned run in 5.2 innings, but suffered a pair of losses...Recorded five strikeouts in 1.2 innings in his season debut on May 7 vs. Myrtle Beach...Diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome in May and missed the final three months of the season, following surgery...Rated as the No. 10 prospect in the Royals' organization by Baseball America following the season.

Kyle split the season between Lexington (A) and Northwest Arkansas (AA) posting 2.35 combined ERA (17 ER in 64.0 IP) in 24 appearances (seven starts) between the two stops...Returned to the mound from offseason shoulder surgery on May 29, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings for Lexington vs. Greenville...earned his first victory of the season in his next outing, June 2, with 2.0 shutout frames vs. Rome...Promoted to Northwest Arkansas July 2...went 1-0 with a 1.65 ERA (3 ER in 16.1 IP) as a reliever and was 1-4 with a 3.41 ERA (12 ER in 31.2 IP) in his seven starts...Held left-handed hitters to a .217 average (18-for-83), while righties batted .250 against him (24-for-96).

Rated as the top prospect in the Royals' organization by Baseball America prior to the 2014 season.....tabbed the Royals' prospect with the "Best Curveball" and "Best Control" entering 2013 and "Best Curveball" and "Best Slider" in 2014.

Kyle spent a majority of his second professional season with Wilmington (A-Advanced), but was promoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas on July 14..Ranked seventh in the Carolina League with 113 strikeouts...needed just 89.2 innings to reach his total, while the six pitchers ahead of him all threw over 100.0 innings in the league...Recorded his second professional shutout on June 29, blanking Potomac on two hits in a 7.0-inning complete game...Posted a 2-1 mark with a 1.93 ERA (4 ER in 18.2 IP) in his first four starts with the Naturals, before being shut down for the season on August 16 with right shoulder tightness.

Posted a 2-1 record with an 0.38 ERA (1 ER in 23.2 IP) in August with Kane County..recorded a season-best 7.0 innings on August 16, 2012 vs. Clinton, in a 5-3 triumph.