Leonard Davis and Jordan Zimmermann receive Minor League honors
The Washington Nationals handed out their Minor League awards and outfielder Leonard Davis was named Player of the Year and right-handed pitcher Jordan Zimmermann Pitcher of the year.
Davis, 24, hit .310 with 28 doubles, 25 home runs, 76 RBI, a .365 on-base percentage and a .567 slugging percentage in a combined 122 games at the top three levels of the Nationals' Player Development system. He paced Washington farmhands in home runs and OPS (.932), while ranking fourth in RBI.
The left-handed hitting slugger began the season with Potomac of the Single-A Carolina League, where he batted .335 (73-for-218) with 14 doubles, 14 homers and 37 RBI in 63 games. Davis was named the Topps Carolina League Player of the Month for June, hitting .407 (37-for-91) with 28 runs, six home runs and 16 RBI in 27 contests.
He hit a stout .488 (20-for-41) with eight runs, one double, four home runs, 10 RBI, a .588 on-base percentage and an .805 slugging percentage during a brief 10-game stint with Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League. He then continued his ascent through the Washington chain with a promotion to Triple-A Columbus, where he collected 23 extra-base hits (13 doubles, three triples, seven home runs) and 29 RBI in 49 International League games. Davis was selected in the eighth round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.
Audio: Leonard Davis discusses being named Nats' Minor League Player of the Year
Zimmermann, Washington's second-round selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, went a combined 10-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) with Harrisburg and Potomac this season. He led the Washington chain in ERA and strikeouts (134), and finished tied for first in wins.
The 22-year-old earned mid-season Eastern League All-Star honors, his second All-Star selection in as many years as a professional. He went 7-2 with a 3.21 ERA (38 ER/106.0 IP) in 20 starts with Harrisburg. Prior to his May 4 promotion to Harrisburg, Zimmermann dominated the Carolina League, going 3-1 with one save and a 1.65 ERA (5 ER/27.1 IP) in five appearances (four starts) with Potomac.
Zimmermann has allowed three earned runs or less in 30 of 35 (85%) starts as a pro. The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point product has allowed two earned runs or less 26 times (74%) as a pro, including one earned run or less 22 times (63%). In two pro seasons, Zimmermann has struck out 205 in 187.0 innings pitched, an average of 9.8 strikeouts per 9.0 innings.
Audio: Jordan Zimmermann discusses being name Nats' Pitcher of the Year
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