Interview with Landon Simpson: Former Relief Pitcher Emerges as a College Ace

Is there a better sports story than one about an individual that believed so much in his own talents that he walked away from the known for the unknown in hopes of furthering his own cause?

Sports stories are full of should have, could have, and would have(s) if only… For Landon Simpson he took the second guessing off the table opting to chart a new path for his baseball career transferring away from the Arkansas Razorbacks to Southern Arkansas in 2014.

Simpson was a product of Magnolia High School earning 5A All-State honors and All-State Tournament honors in 2010. In 2011 his season was limited due to injury but like Simpson’s continual storybook page turning life, he came back in time to help lead Magnolia to an Arkansas State Championship in 2011 tossing a complete game in the title game.

After redshirting in 2012, Simpson appeared in 14 games for the Razorbacks in 2013, 13 games as a reliever, finishing with a record of 1-1 with an ERA of 1.88. Some of his highlights included holding then mighty Ole Miss scoreless for five innings striking out four and in long relief K-ing five Alabama A&M players over three innings of long relief. In the Manhattan (Kansas State) Regional that year he threw two innings against Bryant.

At the end of his sophomore season Simpson posted similar numbers again going 1-1 while appearing in 15 games striking out 20 in 25.1 innings pitched. He held college batters in the toughest baseball conference in the nation to an on base average of only .276 allowing just four extra base hits the entire season. He picked up a big win against Missouri, worked 4.1 innings against LSU in the SEC Tournament, and got in three innings against then No. 3 ranked Virginia in the Charlottesville Regional.

When Simpson’s sophomore season concluded he parted ways with the Razorbacks in a mutually agreeable split. Simpson was looking for more innings and the Hogs were looking to add other arms to key positions on the staff which would have limited his role on the mound.

While the grass is not always greener on the other side, Simpson has found a way to emerge out of the shadows of a role as a reliever at Arkansas into the role of an ace pitcher for the Muleriders.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, Simpson sat down for a one-on-one interview to talk about his high school days, pitching for the Hogs, getting into the zone for SAU, and a little bit about his famous older brother Hayden.

 

Landon, walk the readers through your early days at Magnolia high school. When did you start to emerge as a standout pitcher?

“My junior year I started seeing velocity on my fastball but then I tore my ACL at the end of my last football game in high school. I missed the first 2-3 months of baseball season. I was able to come out and help our team win state finals that year.”

Little modest aren’t you? You were named tournament MVP.

“It was an amazing thing to comeback helping our team win a state championship. The school had never won a state championship in baseball.”

What kind of pitcher were you in high school?

“I’ve always tried to establish my fastball first. If I could get that over the plate I knew it would be a lot easier for me. At the high school level it is more difficult for the guys to catch up with it.”

Take us through coming of your injury and heading to Fayetteville to play for the Hogs.

“It was difficult because I did not have all the velocity I used to have. The big thing for me was not falling behind in the count. I’m throwing more innings now and my fastball is getting closer to what it used to be.”

What was it like pitching for the Hogs?

“It was a great learning experience. Going in you really don’t know what to expect, especially for me after the injury and facing the best competition there is (SEC). You learn on the fly and learn how to pitch. If you’re going to be successful on the mound you have to be successful with all your pitches. If you can do that you’ll win games.”

With your injury did the Arkansas coaches have a different philosophy with you or change your mechanics once you got on campus?

“Coach (Dave) Jorn (pitching coach) was really big on locating your fastball down in the strike zone. With him it was not velocity but movement and location. It was one of those things that I realized it was hard to get back to what I had done before once I was in college. It wasn’t second nature anymore. I changed my mechanics. One thing I am working on now is getting back to what I used to be.”

What did you hit on the radar gun in high school and what are you hitting now?

“In high school I was hitting 94 miles per hour. Now I’m hitting 91 to 92.”

What is your best pitch?

“My change up – everybody can hit a fastball.”

Is that your strikeout pitch?

“Yeah, my slider and change up. I like to get them off balance. Get them to chase it out of the zone.”

You played with and against a lot of great collegiate pitchers while with the Razorbacks, were there any pitchers that impressed you?

“I was impressed by Barrett Astin (2013 third round MLB selection of the Milwaukee Brewers). His mound presence really stood out to me. I try to take that approach myself. I liked his body language and how he went towards the batters on the mound.

“Colby Suggs (2013 second round MLB selection of the Miami Marlins) is another. He threw really hard. He had a mentality that I am going to get you out and I don’t care who you are. It’s not the pitches that they threw but how they approached the game that impressed me most.”

What were some of the highlights playing for the Razorbacks?

“Growing up in Arkansas and then getting to play against LSU in the SEC Tournament – that was a big thing. I got to throw in both NCAA Regional Tournaments.”

Who did you throw against in the NCAA Tournament?

“We beat Bryant at Kansas State in Manhattan and lost against Virginia at Virginia.”

How did the split from Arkansas come about?

“It was one of those things. There are no hard feelings in any aspect. They were trying to bring in a lot of new guys, and I felt that maybe it was in my best interest to go somewhere else to pitch so I could get on the mound more. Nothing happened in a bad way.”

What took you to Southern Arkansas University?

“I grew up here in Magnolia. I’ve watched SAU since I was a little kid. The tradition of winning was part of it. My brother playing here was big too. Having a relationship with the coaches, it made that transition easier. I knew we would have a great team here. I wanted to be a part of it.”

Is there a difference in pitching philosophy between the Arkansas coaches and the SAU coaches?

“The philosophy is the same, establish the fastball. Limit the walks and you’ll have an easier time pitching.”

What are the differences between pitching to SEC hitters and Great American Conference hitters?

“Its not the skill level but more of a physical stand point. The guys in the SEC are enormous, big strong guys. All the GAC guys are still tremendous hitters. If you give them a second look they’ll take advantage of it. They’ll hand it to you.”

How do the Muleriders look heading down the backstretch of the season?

“As of right now we are in a really good position. We are 22-12 but we have not caught our hot streak yet. I think we’ll have a shot at making a run this year.”

Congratulations on being awarded the GAC Pitcher of the Week and the National College Baseball Writers of America Pitcher of the Week after tossing a four-hit shutout while striking out 10 in an 8-0 win against Ouachita Baptist. One thing though, you’re in the zone but plunked a guy, what was up with that?

“(Laughing) Every now and again one gets away from you. I plunked him early in the game. As a pitcher you don’t want that to happen.”

Before the game did you have an idea that this start might be a good one for you?

“We had watched OBU the day before, they have some really good hitters. While warming up I remember saying my arm has not felt this great all year. I had a feeling it was going to be a decent day.”

What was it like getting batter No. 32 out?

“It was amazing. I had never thrown nine innings. My teammates were excited for me. It was a great feeling. That’s what we are shooting for every time out.”

The last two years you played Summer League ball for the Waterloo Bucks in the Northwoods league. What are your thoughts on young players getting into summer leagues?

“I think it is one of the best things a pitcher can do. You are away from school, meeting all of these new guys, and you have a whole new team to play with. It’s a great learning experience. I think it helps you grow playing with guys you don’t know well. Helps you progress. You really have to learn how to focus and lock in on the game a lot more.”

Are you going to play summer league ball again this year?

“As of right now I am not sure. I’m talking to the coaches about it.”

Who is your favorite pitcher to watch play the game?

“I like Tim Linecum (San Francisco Giants). He’s a smaller guy (5’11”, 170 lbs) but goes out there and throws hard. Craig Kimbrel, the closer for the Braves, is another. That guy is just balls to the wall. He’s fun and entertaining to watch.”

Here’s a softball question for you, who has made the biggest impact on your baseball career?

“My brother (Hayden) has had the biggest impact on me. He’s always helped me with my mechanical stuff. He’s always willing to work with me. Even when he was in college, he always wanted me to do well.”

Hayden Simpson was a first round selection of the Chicago Cubs in the 2010 MLB Draft out of SAU.

What was it like for you when Hayden was drafted in the first round by the Cubs?

“I could not have been more excited. Of everything I’ve accomplished that is still the single handedly the coolest thing I’ve experienced. I learned a lot from all of that.”

What did you learn from Hayden’s experiences?

“How important it is to work hard and have perseverance. Showing everyone what you are made of.”

Didn’t Hayden get mono right after the draft and lose a lot of weight kind of derailing the start to his professional career?

“Yeah, he got mono the night after the draft. He got really sick, stuff happens.”

What is Hayden up to now?

“He is finishing school. He still throws bullpen sessions and everything.”

Do you think there is a comeback around the corner for Hayden?

“I think there absolutely will be.”

What is your favorite part of playing baseball?

“I’ve been asked this before and my answer is still the same. It doesn’t matter what team you are on you can get beat by anybody on any day. The game is full of excitement and unknowns. That is one of the best things about it.”

 

Right after interviewing Landon he took the mound against Harding tossing a complete game shutout on Friday night striking out three and walking one. He improved his season win-loss record to 5-3 but more importantly has started to take steps towards becoming the ace pitcher he was seemingly destined to be before tearing his ACL in high school.

Simpson’s ERA for the season is now at 1.72 with three complete games, 62.2 innings pitched, just 50 hits allowed while nearly carrying a 4-1 strikeout to walk ratio (46/12). He has limited the opposition to a .215 batting average.

From the outside looking in, Simpson’s arm finally seems to be gaining strength transitioning from some long relief appearances with the Hogs to being able to eat up innings for the Muleriders saving the bullpen as a college Friday Night Starter, a start typically given to a team’s top pitcher.

What Landon’s future holds still unclear but a track to the MLB Draft has been laid as seen by his older brother. Hayden was a beast on the mound for SAU just as Landon is quickly emerging. Hayden finished his three-year career with a record of 35-2, an ERA of 2.39, K-ing 323 batters in 271 innings. Another comparison that is too obvious to pass up is time on the mound. In 39 career starts Hayden had 13 complete games. Hayden’s junior year for the Muleriders he had an ERA of 1.81.

Landon has 10 starts for the Muleriders, three complete games, very similar to Hayden’s one complete game every three times taking the ball, and an ERA of 1.72. Landon has also faced some of the toughest competition in the nation pitching in the SEC, SEC Tournament, and the NCAA Tournament.

Maybe one of the reasons Landon is not sure about pitching in summer league ball is because he knows something the rest of us are just starting to figure out, especially with the MLB Draft quickly approaching. Whether Landon is drafted high or in a mid-round this year or the next, it does not matter. One thing that is a given, Landon will work hard showing everyone he does have perseverance while continuing to make others that doubt his abilities to look foolish.

 

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: wholehogsports.com; Landon Simpson pitches for the Razorbacks

Photo credit: SAU sports information; Landon Simpson takes the mound for SAU