Shoulder surgery likely for Royals prospect Kyle Zimmer

Even though the current team is playing for a championship this week, we always must look to the future. The Royals have some decent arms coming through the pipeline, but one arm keeps getting hurt. 2012 first round pick Kyle Zimmer has apparently suffered another setback.

The bad news started a week ago

Kyle Zimmer felt tightness in his right shoulder after a start in Arizona last week. He has been shut down for the fall/winter.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) October 21, 2014

Then today:

#Royals are braced for likelihood Kyle Zimmer will need shoulder surgery. He's scheduled to visit Dr. David Altchek.

— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) October 27, 2014

Zimmer missed most of the season with a latissimus dorsi injury, but came back to pitch in the Arizona Fall League, striking out eleven in five innings in a recent start. The 23-year old right-hander has made just 36 professional starts in three seasons since being drafted in the first round in 2012 out of the University of San Francisco. He struck out 140 in 108 1/3 innings in 2013 across High A Wilmington and AA Northwest Arkansas and was expected to pitch this year in the high minors with an outside chance at a rotation spot in the big leagues in 2015, but those plans are in serious jeopardy.