He was a three-time all-state player in baseball and selected in the seventh round of the 1969 amateur draft by the White Sox, signing in his senior year of high school.

Kimm made his major league debut in 1976 with the Detroit Tigers on May 4, where he was Mark Fidrych's personal catcher in 1976 and 1977.

In 1995, he won Manager of the Year honors in the AA Southern League, compiling a 76–67 record with the Orlando Cubs en route to a playoff appearance.

This caused some controversy, as former Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager and then Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild was seen by some as a better choice.

Kimm has also been a coach for the Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, Chicago White Sox, and Colorado Rockies.