Landon Sims
RHP 6-1 205 Mississippi State
2021 Miss. State stat line - 25-app, 5-0, 1.44, 56.1-IP, 100-K, 15-BB
3-14-22 - Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB
Mississippi State RHP Landon Sims announces he has torn his UCL and will miss the rest of the season.
Aaron Fitt @aaronfitt
As feared, Landon Sims’ season is over. Just rotten news for Sims, for the Bulldogs and for college baseball. Hate this.
Maggie neto @MaggieNeto
So sad. He is such an amazing young man. Praying for speedy recovery
10 College Baseball Stars to Watch Ahead of 2022 MLB Draft
RHP Landon Sims, Mississippi State
2022 Stats: 3 GS, 1.15 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 2 BB, 27 K, 15.2 IP
Right-hander Landon Sims was electric while closing games for Mississippi State last season, going 5-0 with 13 saves and a 1.44 ERA in 25 appearances while striking out 100 of the 213 batters he faced.
He moved into the Bulldogs rotation this spring and was lighting up radar guns and piling up strikeouts before an arm injury forced him out of his most recent start against Tulane on March 3. Prior to the injury, he had thrown 3.2 no-hit innings, striking out 10 of the 11 batters he faced.
With a fastball he can run up to triple digits and a 70-grade slider, he could dominate at the back of an MLB bullpen right now, and that might still be his long-term ceiling. However, the opportunity to prove himself in a starting role this spring could send his stock soaring.
First things first: He needs a clean bill of health.
2-28-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/scoutingreports/landon-sims?s=03 -
SUMMARY It’s fairly easy to envision a big league role for Landon Sims in the near future, in what role will be ultimately determined on how his pitch mix develops going forward. There’s legitimate potential for either a late inning, high leverage relief arm or even a possible middle-rotation piece for the defending National champion, and that’s upside that will be far and few between in the 2022 class.
Landon Sims (RHP, Mississippi State)
Another fastball-slider guy, Sims has been one of the top relief pitchers in the country the last few years. He has pitched 69 ⅓ innings in his college career collecting 123 strikeouts. This season for Mississippi State, Sims will be given the role as a starting pitcher which could take some time getting used to. He will likely need to add a third effective pitch, a changeup, to his arsenal to succeed at a high level as a starter.
2-16-22 - Baseball America @BaseballAmerica
Landon Sims will go into the 2022 season as Mississipi State Friday starter and our top ranked college pitcher
18. Landon Sims, RHP, Mississippi State
Sims is the rare top collegiate arm in this class whose variability germinates from something other than his health. He's been electric in his two seasons with the Bulldogs, amassing a 1.82 ERA and 16 strikeouts per nine. The catch is that Sims has done that exclusively in relief. How, exactly, he'll fare this spring as a member of the rotation is to be seen. He has two premium bat-missing pitches (a low-to-mid-90s fastball and slider) and an extreme, crossfire release point working in his favor. His changeup isn't as far along, however, and his command could suffer over longer outings. If Sims can ease concerns about his relief risk, he could jump into the top 10.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-mlb-mock-draft-version-10/?s=03 -
Baseball America 2022 MLB Mock Draft Version 1.0
14. Mets — Landon Sims, RHP, Mississippi State
Carlos’ take: Because you’ve mentioned Whisenhunt I have started to think about him here, but one of my gut feels to move up this spring is Sims—who has a pitch data profile that I adore. Love the fastball. Love the breaking ball. Love the release point. I think he really has a shot to start as well, given some of the feedback I have heard from scouts recently and dating back to his time in high school. Maybe it’s not the most buttery smooth delivery, but the man just walked 2.4 batters per nine last spring over 56.1 innings. I can’t wait to see him in a starting role this spring. Though, I did feel similarly about Jaden Hill transitioning to a starting role last year …
Scout’s take: So we have the Mets taking two arms. Interesting. With Sims, the Mets will have an arm that can get to the big leagues quickly as a back-end reliever. Sims’ plus fastball and plus-plus slider combo may be better than anyone they currently have in their minor league system. The Mets weren’t able to sign their first round power arm last year, but they get another one here. Healthy arms are starting to come off the board now.
2-4-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-southeastern-conference-college-baseball-preview/ -
SEC - Preseason Awards
Pitcher of the Year: Landon Sims, RHP, Mississippi State
Sims is coming off a sensational season as Mississippi State’s relief ace and played a critical role in the Bulldogs’ national championship. He went 5-0, 1.44 with 13 saves and 100 strikeouts in 56.1 innings. Now, he’ll transition to the front of Mississippi State’s rotation, bringing his powerful fastball-slider combination. While the transition won’t be easy, Sims has already pitched in high-leverage situations and was stretched out to throw up to four innings last season. Bringing his dynamic ability to Friday night starts is the next step.
2-4-22 - https://razzball.com/top-15-college-prospects-for-the-2022-mlb-draft/ -
12. Landon Sims | RHP | Mississippi State | R/R | 6-2 | 235
Sims 3: SP. Coming in February 2022. After working exclusively as a reliever his first two seasons in Starkville, Sims is transitioning from renowned relief ace to Friday night starter this year. And when I say relief ace — I mean it. Sims was arguably the nation’s second-most dominant reliever in 2021 behind Golden Spikes Award winner Kevin Kopps, but with a projectable arsenal that scouts drool over. Last year, he pitched 56.1 innings with a 1.44 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 16.0 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, and 0.3 HR/9. He wields a 65-grade, high-spin rate fastball that works up to 98 MPH, which he paired excellently out of the pen with a 70-grade slider that works in the mid-80s with tight spin. Much will be made of his introduction of the changeup to the arsenal as a starter this year, as he didn’t use it in his relief role — currently holds a 45-grade but I don’t think much can be made of that. There’s a lot of comparisons here to Max Meyer in terms of the arsenal and transition into the rotation, as Sims is moving from a highly successful, two-pitch closer into the rotation, with scouts waiting to see if he can establish a true third offering and make a pro career as a starter. Monitor Sims’ performance starting games in 2022, but his floor is that of a formidable MLB closer — and he has a taste for the big moments after the Bulldogs’ 2021 CWS title run.
1-24-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-college-top-25-preview-no-3-mississippi-state/ -
Player to know: Landon Sims, RHP
Seasons don’t get much more dominant than the one Sims put up in 2021. In 56.1 innings, he had a 1.44 ERA, 13 saves, 100 strikeouts compared to just 15 walks and a .149 opponent batting average. His transition to the rotation this season is a big variable for Mississippi State and it will be fascinating to watch unfold. Sims essentially threw just two pitches last season, but it worked because both were excellent. His fastball averaged over 94 mph last season and touched 98, and because of the high spin on the pitch, it induced a 38% whiff rate. Similarly, his mid-80s slider had a 37% whiff rate. Adding a usable changeup might make the transition easier, but even without it, Sims has the stuff to dominate as a starter. The key will be his ability not only to get deep into games week after week but to hold his stuff along the way.
1-15-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2022-mlb-draft-top-100-prospects/ -
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Landon Sims
Mississippi State RHP
Notes:
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 227 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5
Sims had a big-time arm out of high school and ranked as the No. 198 prospect in the 2019 draft after showing a fastball that peaked at 97 mph. He wasn’t as consistent as some scouts wanted to see, however, and made his way to campus at Mississippi State after going undrafted. He’s pitched only in a relief role through two partial seasons with the Bulldogs, but he’s been dominant in that role. For his career, Sims has posted a 1.82 ERA while striking out 123 batters in 69.1 innings—with 16.0 strikeouts per nine innings. He has a dominant two-pitch mix with a 93-95 mph fastball that touches 98 and a mid-80s slider. In the 2021 spring, Sims generated whiffs at a 38% rate with his fastball and a 37% rate with his slider. He has a low approach angle and release point that helps his fastball stay flat to the plate and play up further. With a strong, 6-foot-2, 227-pound frame and solid strike throwing—albeit plenty of effort and head whack—Sims has the tools to start, but he enters the spring never having pitched in that role and will need to showcase a changeup more frequently to convince evaluators. He carried relief risk in high school and has received Craig Kimbrel and J.B. Bukauskas comps but has a chance to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter. He’ll try and prove that this spring.
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