Ryan Wallace Zimmerman (born September 28, 1984 in
Washington, North Carolina) was the first
first-round draft pick of the Washington Nationals.
A 6-foot 3-inch third baseman from the University of
Virginia and Floyd E. Kellam High School, Zimmerman
has quickly established himself as a quality
major-league third baseman—with potential to blossom
into one of the game's true stars—with his defensive
abilities and contact hitting.
Zimmerman's mother Cheryl was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis in 1995, and has been in a
wheelchair since 2000. Zimmerman has cited his
mother's condition as a substantial formative
influence on his development, saying that it forced
him to grow up and assume responsibilities at an
earlier age than most children.
