All-Scholastic pitcher will play in the Division 1 University of Dayton program
By Cary Shuman
Jack Zimmerman will leave his hometown of Revere tomorrow for Dayton, Ohio, where he will begin his academic and athletic career at the University of Dayton.
Zimmerman’s scholarship in the Flyers’ Division 1 college baseball program follows a sensational senior season on the mound for St. Mary’s High School where the 6-foot-4-inch lefthander had a 9-1 record and save with 99 strikeouts.
Interestingly, Zimmerman had originally decided to attend Division 3 Salve Regina, but after excelling against current and former college players in the North Shore Baseball League this summer, he was offered a spot at the University of Dayton who compete in the Atlantic-10 Conference.
At Sunday’s awards banquet at St. Mary’s, Zimmer received the Most Valuable Player Award and the Top Pitcher Award, in addition to being recognized as the Catholic Central League MVP and a Boston Herald and Boston Globe All-Scholastic.
St. Mary’s head coach Derek Dana said Zimmerman leaves an outstanding legacy as one of the greatest pitchers in the long and successful history of the Spartans’ baseball program that was once home to Boston Red Sox star Tony Conigliaro.
“Jack had some success last year as a junior. He liked the taste of it, and he just really worked so hard in the offseason and during the 2025 season,” said Dana, a former pro baseball player in the Giants’ organization. “We’ve had some phenomenal pitchers come through our program, and you put Jack’s senior season numbers wise right up there with the very best. It actually changed the trajectory of where he’s going to school. It was Salve Regina, now it’s going to be a Division.1 school. One of his real-life goals was to play Division 1 baseball, and he’s achieved that, and now he’s got to take it to the next level.”
Baseball career began in
Revere Little League
Jack Zimmerman was four years old when he started in the Revere Little League T-Ball program at McMackin Field.
A student at Paul Revere Elementary School through fifth grade, Jack continued his RLL career as a member of the Minor League Twins, helping to lead his team to back-to-back championships, the first on the field behind Paul Revere Elementary School and the latter at St. Mary’s Griswold Park. Both title teams were coached by his father, David Zimmerman.
Jack concluded his Little League career for the Major League Giants, earning All-Star recognition in each of his three seasons.
Continuing his preparation for high school varsity baseball, he played AAU baseball for the Rivals, Legends, and Team Boston Academy travel teams.
Building his baseball
talents at St. Mary’s in Lynn
He matriculated at St. Mary’s in Lynn in the sixth grade and participated in baseball each year, making his varsity debut as a junior.
“Josh Doney was the ace, and I was the No. 2 starter,” said Zimmerman. “Josh is also a lefty and a very good pitcher. He’s going to play baseball at UMass/Lowell.”
As a junior, Zimmerman began to show his college potential, compiling a 5-1 record with 75 strikeouts in 51 innings while becoming a CCL All-Star and Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association All-Star. He was also the MVP of the Spartan Invitational Tournament, getting the ‘W’ in the championship game.
Entering his senior season this spring, Zimmerman displayed a live fastball that now touches 89 miles per hour, a curveball, and a changeup. His overall season was off-the-charts terrific, leading the Spartans to a ranking as high as fifth in the state and a No. 1 seed in the MIAA Tournament. Zimmerman won in his only start (a 13-strikeout gem in a 3-2 victory over Martha’s Vineyard) in the tournament before Apponequet Regional upset the Spartans in the second round.
He credits his three years of off-season workouts at NPA East in Ipswich under the direction of former Texas Rangers draft pick Gardner O’Flynn as being instrumental in his development as a pitcher.
He also lauds St. Mary’s coaches, Derek Dana, Tim Fila, and Sean Buckland for his ascendancy to pitching excellence.
“They just know their stuff, how to help their pitchers,” said Zimmerman. “They helped me so much with my mechanics, how to hit my spots, and be a pitcher.”
He is also grateful to his high school catcher Kyle Doney. “He is absolutely an amazing catcher, one of the best catchers I’ve ever worked with,” said Jack. “His framing is incredible. He blocks everything. You have full trust in all of your pitches when he’s behind the plate.”
Jack Zimmerman has realized his dream of receiving an opportunity to play Division 1 college baseball. He thanks his parents for his support from McMackin Park to St. Mary’s field to the long winter treks to Ipswich with his father.
“My dad and my mom (Kristine) have both known it’s been my dream to play Division 1 baseball, so once I got the opportunity, they were totally supportive, even though Dayton is far away from Revere,” said Jack, who has a sister, Grace Zimmerman, a junior at the University of Delaware.
