NILES, Ohio - Bradley Zimmer's new life started Wednesday with a van ride on the Ohio Turnpike, a bunch of handshakes with guys he'd never previously met and some swings in a batting cage that sits behind a stadium that sits behind a mall in Niles, Ohio, near Youngstown.
Before three days ago, Zimmer had never even been to Ohio.
Two weeks ago, the Cleveland Indians selected Zimmer with pick No. 21 in the Major League Baseball Draft. On Tuesday, Zimmer officially signed a contract that included a $1.9 million signing bonus.
Wednesday morning, Zimmer's parents flew back to California and he was taken to Niles and to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, a short-season single-A affiliate. Zimmer basically showed up with his mitt and not much else; even those who receive the big signing bonuses are eventually placed with a host family at this level.
Though he wasn't in Wednesday night's lineup for the Scrappers, this, officially, is his new life.
"I'm in a hotel right now and hopefully in a few days I'll have a host family," Zimmer said Wednesday afternoon while waiting for his turn in the batting cage. "It's kind of funny. Hopefully at some point I won't just get left in a parking lot; I'll actually have a home."
The Indians obviously see Zimmer as a player who eventually will find a home in Cleveland.
Zimmer is 21 and thinks he's still growing. At a listed 6'5, 205, he's very big for an outfielder -- especially a center fielder -- but thinks he can stay there. He hit both leadoff and in the No. 3 slot for his college team this spring at the University of San Francisco, and he hit well enough that he was a first-team All-American pick by Baseball America.
He hit .368 with seven home runs and 31 RBI and stole a career-high 21 bases in what became his final college season. Zimmer had a feeling he was headed to the draft as a junior after he spent last summer excelling in the high-level Cape Cod League and for the USA Collegiate National Team.
"You know there are eyes on you, of course," Zimmer said. "You have to keep your eyes on the prize, be the best you can be in that day.
"I know it's a business now. It is a job, but I also feel like I've spent 21 years of my life playing baseball. I'm going to go out and have fun and compete. My job right now is to be a really good player for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers and help our team win."
Zimmer grew up in San Diego, where he also played water polo, lacrosse and basketball.
"But baseball is what I took to," he said.
He followed his brother, Kyle, into the sport and into the first round of the draft. The Kansas City Royals selected Kyle at No. 5 overall two years ago.
Kyle is a pitcher who's currently battling through an injury suffered late last season in Double-A. Bradley said the only advice he's received from his brother "is just to make sure I'm progressing. Have fun with it...make sure I'm not putting too much pressure on myself.
"The big leagues is the dream and the goal. All the work is geared towards getting there. But it's a process you go through. You have to get better. You have to pay your dues. Nothing's guaranteed and I'm fine with that."
It could be the weekend before Bradley Zimmer makes his pro debut. How soon he's promoted to Lake County, or Akron, or eventually to Cleveland "is the furthest thing" from his mind.
He knows he's not in San Francisco or San Diego anymore. As storm clouds gathered over Eastwood Field Wednesday, Zimmer clutched his bat and waited his turn with the rest of the Scrappers in group No. 4 to get their swings. They all wore navy blue and Indians hats.
They all have Major League dreams.
"I don't really like talking about myself," Zimmer said. "I've just always loved baseball. When I got to college and started really playing well against good competition, I thought I'd have the opportunity to someday play at the next level. I'm just humbled and anxious.
"Being here now, being drafted and going through that process and then being home for a week, then in Cleveland and now here getting ready to start, it's all happened fast. It's intimidating, it's exciting, it's promising...this is just the beginning. I'm here to compete and play."
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