From the Nationals First-Ever Draft Pick in 2005 to Mr. National, Ryan Zimmerman will forever be apart of the fabric of the Washington Nationals. He is the only player to appear in every season for the Washington Nationals since the franchise relocated from Montreal to D.C. for the 2005 season.

In the age of players hoping from teams to teams searching for the big contract, it is becoming a rarity when players stay with one team their whole career. When a player remains with the team that drafted them, they inevitably become part of the organization's fabric and leaders in the clubhouse, which can be said about Ryan Zimmerman.

Ryan Zimmerman's College Career

Ryan Zimmerman was the starting third baseman at college baseball at the Unversity of Virginia for three years and started all 174 games that he appeared. Zimmerman grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and graduated from Kellam High School. Zimmerman had 25 hits during his collegiate career, 140 RBI's, 128 runs, 47 doubles, seven triples, and nine home runs. In Ryan's final season at the University of Virginia, Zimmermann led his team with a batting average of .393 and a slugging percentage of .581, and a total of 59 RBI's.

2006 Ryan Zimmerman's First Full Season

In Ryan's first full season in the major leagues, Zimmerman performed exceptionally well. Zimmerman did so well during the 2006 season that he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, right behind Hanley Ramirez, who finished first.

In his 2006 season, Zimmerman played 157 games and had 614 at-bats, which netted 84 runs, 176 hits, 110 RBI's, and a total batting average of .287 .471 slugging percentage.

I Blacked Out And Then We Won

Ryan Zimmernan on MASN Washington after Kurt Suzuki's three-run, walk-off home run capped off a seven-run ninth.

In the field, Zimmerman played 3rd base and only committed 15 errors, 152 putouts, and had a .788 fielding percentage.

14 Years Later

After 15 seasons, Ryan Zimmerman has had some ups and down years. Zimmerman was voted to two All-Star games, one gold glove, silver slugger, and made the 4 MVP lists over his career.

In 2017, Ryan Zimmerman had his second-best season in the majors. During the 2017 season, Zimmerman finished with 108 RBI's, 36 home runs, a .303 batting average from playing 144 games, and 524 at-bats. The 2017 performance led to an All-star appearance and votes for the NL MVP.

Unfortunately, there was only one season for Ryan Zimmerman, which he played all season long, which was in 2007. During the 2007 season, Zimmerman had 91 RBI's, 34 Homeruns, and had a batting average of .266.

In 2006, Ryan Zimmerman had a career-high 110 RBI's, and in 2017 Zimmerman had a career-high 36 home runs.

Postseason

Everyone knows that during the Postseason, you can quickly transform your career from average to legendary. In 8 series that Zimmerman has played in, he has had a total of 17 RBI's, five home runs, scored ten times, and has a postseason batting average of .274.

On October 22, 2019, fittingly, Zimmerman hit the first World Series home run in Nationals franchise history. At the end of the World Series, Zimmerman had a total of 2 RBI's, four walks, with a total of 24 at-bats.

ziMS Foundation

The ziMS Foundation was started in 2006 and is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure of M.S. by funding comprehensive support and educational programs. Over the last 13 years, the Foundation has raised more than $3,500,000.

Becoming Mr. Nationals

While many thought that Zimmerman was Mr. Nationals since he signed his latest contract with the Nationals and guaranteed that he would at least finish his career in Washington D.C.

I felt that it wasn't until the 2019 Postseason is when he finally cemented his position. From his Wild Card Game bottom of the eighth broken-bat hit to extend the inning, Juan Soto could hit a single that would score the winning run, and Zimmerman was the first Washington National to hit a home run in the World Series, that his status was cemented.

Whenever a player comes up in needed times and makes a difference at the plate and his defense, one quickly becomes vital to that organization. It only fits that he had a chance to raise the Commissioner's trophy in his last official contract year with the Nationals.

Conclusion

While Zimmerman's future with the Nationals isn't clear since he didn't play for the Nationals in the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19, and Zimmerman only signed a one year deal with the Nationals, it will be interesting to see if the Nationals sign him for the 2021 season.

But no matter if we see Zimmerman in a Washington Nationals uniform at first base, Zimmerman will always be part of the Washington Nationals franchise fabric. In our mind, he will always be: "Mr. Washington Nationals."