{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2001)}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name = Landon Sims |image = |team = Arizona Diamondbacks |number = |position = Pitcher |birth_date = {{bda|2001|1|3}} |birth_place = Lawrenceville, Georgia, U.S. |bats = Right |throws = Right |debutleague = |debutdate = |debuSamear = |debutteam = |statleague = |staSamear = |stat1label = |stat1value = |stat2label = |stat2value = |stat3label = |stat3value = |teams = |medaltemplates= {{MedalSport | Men's baseball}} {{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}} {{MedalCompetition | U-15 Baseball World Cup}} {{MedalBronze | 2016 Iwaki | Team}} }} '''Landon Thomas Sims''' (born January 3, 2001) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.
==Amateur career== Sims attended South Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia, where he played on the football team as a safety and on the baseball team as a pitcher.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forsythnews.com/sports/south-forsyth-high-school/grind-south-forsyths-sims-balances-promising-baseball-career-football/|title=THE GRIND: South Forsyth's Sims balances promising baseball career with football|last=Frazer|first=Ian|date=July 17, 2017|website=Forsyth County News}}</ref> As a sophomore in 2017, he went 6-2 with a 2.10 ERA and 58 strikeouts over fifty innings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.maxpreps.com/news/RCpjC0XH3ECEdHg5qjM26A/maxpreps-2017-underclass-all-american-baseball-teams.htm|title=MaxPreps 2017 Underclass All-American Baseball Teams|last=Askeland|first=Kevin|date=July 13, 2017|website=MaxPreps}}</ref> As a junior, he won ten games while pitching to a 0.90 ERA over 62 innings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.perfectgame.org/articles/View.aspx?article=15477|title=TE 17u's Sims comes out firing|last=Dahn|first=Jeff|date=July 9, 2018|website=Perfect Game}}</ref> Sims went unselected in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft and enrolled at Mississippi State University to play college baseball.
Sims made seven appearances as a freshman on the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team in 2020 and compiled a 3.46 ERA before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forsythnews.com/sports/south-forsyth-high-school/i-want-win-sims-lifelong-tenacity-helps-fuel-champion-bulldogs/|title='I want to win': Sims' lifelong tenacity helps fuel champion Bulldogs|last=Roberts|first=David|date=July 30, 2021|website=Forsyth County News}}</ref> In 2021, he became the team's closer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://omaha.com/sports/college/baseball/thank-god-hes-on-our-team-mississippi-states-landon-sims-is-one-of-nations-best/article_a259ebc4-d7bb-11eb-864f-f397c4069043.html|title='Thank God he's on our team': Mississippi State's Landon Sims is one of nation's best closers|last=Schinzel|first=Gene|date=June 27, 2021|website=Omaha World-Herald}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2021/05/25/3-stats-know-mississippi-state-baseball-pitcher-landon-sims-sec-ncaa-tournament/7428879002/|title=3 stats to know about Mississippi State baseball pitcher Landon Sims|last=Horka|first=Tyler|website=The Clarion-Ledger}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2021/06/10/landon-sims-mississippi-state-baseball-pitcher-closer-ncaa-super-regional/5255796001/|title='Absolute Bulldog': How Landon Sims became a shutdown closer for Mississippi State baseball|last=Horka|first=Tyler|website=The Clarion-Ledger}}</ref> For the season, he made 25 relief appearances and went 5-0 with a 1.44 ERA, 100 strikeouts, 15 walks and 13 saves over {{fraction|56|1|3}} innings.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wcbi.com/mississippi-state-star-pitcher-landon-sims-cashes-in/|title=Mississippi State star pitcher Landon Sims cashes in|last=Sokoloff|first=Jon|date=November 4, 2021|website=WCBI-TV}}</ref> Sims, alongside Will Bednar, threw a combined one-hitter against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the final game of the 2021 College World Series, leading the Bulldogs to their first ever championship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/baseball/cws/story/_/id/31741320/mississippi-state-throws-combined-one-hitter-vanderbilt-win-first-college-world-series-title|title=Mississippi State throws combined one-hitter against Vanderbilt to win first College World Series title|date=June 30, 2021|website=ESPN}}</ref> He was named to the USA Baseball National Collegiate Team after the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesnews.net/sports/collegiate-national-team-heading-for-area-ballparks/article_2bbd82d8-dc42-11eb-9c39-0baa649b6a8d.html|title=Collegiate National Team heading for area ballparks|last=Avento|first=Joe|date=July 3, 2021|website=Kingsport Times-News}}</ref> Sims entered the 2022 season as a top prospect for the upcoming draft.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/storylines-mlb-draft-prospects-to-watch-in-2022-college-baseball|title=Storylines, MLB draft prospects to watch in 2022 college baseball|date=February 17, 2022|first=Jordan|last=Schusterman|website=Fox Sports}}</ref> For the season, he moved into the starting rotation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2022/02/01/mississippi-state-baseball-landon-sims-pitcher/9278721002/|title='Pretty special spot': How Landon Sims has prepared to be Mississippi State baseball's ace|last=Kostka|first=Andy|website=The Clarion-Ledger}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdispatch.com/sports/2022-02-08/mississippi-state-baseball-landon-sims-set-to-lead-unproven-rotation-into-2022-season/|title=Mississippi State baseball: Landon Sims set to lead 'unproven' rotation into 2022 season|last=DeRosa|first=Theo|date=February 8, 2022|website=The Commercial Dispatch}}</ref> He was named the team's Opening Day starter and pitched seven innings in which he gave up one earned run, seven hits, no walks, and 13 strikeouts in a 3-0 loss to Long Beach State.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2022/02/18/landon-sims-shines-but-mississippi-state-baseball-loses-long-beach-state/6756718001/|title=Landon Sims shines but Mississippi State baseball drops season opener to Long Beach State|last=Kostka|first=Andy|date=February 18, 2022|website=The Clarion-Ledger}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdispatch.com/sports/2022-02-19/landon-sims-first-start-just-what-mississippi-state-needed-in-opening-series/|title=Landon Sims' first start just what Mississippi State needed in opening series|last=DeRosa|first=Theo|date=February 19, 2022|website=The Commercial Dispatch}}</ref> On March 4, in a game against the Tulane Green Wave, Sims was removed in the fourth inning due to a right arm injury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdispatch.com/sports/2022-03-04/breaking-landon-sims-leaves-mississippi-state-baseball-game-at-tulane-with-apparent-arm-injury/|title=Breaking: Landon Sims leaves Mississippi State baseball game at Tulane with apparent arm injury|last=DeRosa|first=Theo|date=March 4, 2022|website=The Commercial Dispatch}}</ref> On March 14, it was announced that he had torn his ulnar collateral ligament and would undergo Tommy John surgery, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdispatch.com/sports/2022-03-14/breaking-mississippi-state-pitchers-landon-sims-stone-simmons-out-for-season-with-torn-ucl/|title=Breaking: Mississippi State pitchers Landon Sims, Stone Simmons out for season with torn UCL|last=DeRosa|first=Theo|date=March 14, 2022|website=The Commercial Dispatch}}</ref> Over {{fraction|15|2|3}} innings pitched in 2022, he compiled a 1.15 ERA and 27 strikeouts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mississippi-states-landon-sims-possibly-top-college-arm-in-mlb-draft-out-for-year-with-elbow-injury/|title=Mississippi State's Landon Sims, possibly top college arm in MLB draft, out for year with elbow injury|last=Anderson|first=RJ|date=March 14, 2022|website=CBS Sports}}</ref>
==Professional career== Sims was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 34th overall selection of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/diamondbacks-landon-sims-drafted-by-d-backs/ | title=Diamondbacks' Landon Sims: Drafted by D-backs }}</ref> He signed with the team for $2.35 million.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/draft/tracker | title=MLB Draft Tracker | website=MLB.com }}</ref>
Sims made his professional debut in 2023 during a rehab assignment with the Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks, and was later assigned to the Visalia Rawhide.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-27 |title=Diamondbacks' Landon Sims: Cleared to rejoin Single-A squad |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/diamondbacks-landon-sims-cleared-to-rejoin-single-a-squad/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref> Over {{fraction|24|1|3}} innings pitched during the season, he went 0-4 with a 5.47 ERA and 28 strikeouts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Diamond Dawgs in the Minor League: Season Wrap Up |url=https://247sports.com/college/mississippi-state/longformarticle/former-mississippi-state-baseball-players-minor-league-stats-216625811/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=247Sports |language=en}}</ref> He was assigned to Visalia to open the 2024 season and was later promoted to the Hillsboro Hops.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Here's where the D-backs' Top 30 prospects are starting the season |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/where-d-backs-top-prospects-are-starting-2024-season |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> Over 41 appearances between the two teams, Sims went 4-0 with a 3.07 ERA and 85 strikeouts over {{fraction|58|2|3}} innings.<ref name=milb>{{Cite web |title=Landon Sims Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.milb.com/player/landon-sims-683085 |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref> He was assigned to the Amarillo Sod Poodles to open the 2025 season.<ref>https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/arizona-diamondbacks-news/landon-sims-is-ready-and-going-to-compete-for-every-strike</ref> Sims played the entirety of the season with Amarillo and made 49 relief appearances in which he went 4-2 with 12 saves, 3.63 ERA, and 57 strikeouts across 52 innings.<ref name=milb/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://hailstate.com/sports/baseball/roster/landon-sims/6997 Mississippi State Bulldogs bio] {{baseballstats|brm=sims--000lan}}
{{2021 College Baseball Consensus All-Americans}} {{2021 Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sims, Landon}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks players Category:Baseball pitchers Category:Baseball players from Gwinnett County, Georgia Category:Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball players Category:Sportspeople from Lawrenceville, Georgia Category:United States national baseball team players Category:Visalia Rawhide players Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:Amarillo Sod Poodles players Category:Hillsboro Hops players