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Stone Simmons looking to provide the new look Bulldogs with leadership

IMG_4594by:Tanner Marlar•01/26/24•

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Simmons
Former and current Mississippi State pitchers Preston Johnson and Stone Simmons chat with a young fan. (Mississippi State Baseball Twitter)

With each and every passing year in college athletics, team and locker room leaders exit the fold and new ones come in.

For Mississippi State pitcher Stone Simmons, he’s watched countless players walk in and out the double doors to the Mississippi State baseball facilities. Now, it’s his turn to take the reigns.

“I’m feel like I’m really prepared to help the team as a leader,” said Simmons. “(I just want to) be the best teammate I can possibly be now that I’m healthy and now that (my teammates) can actually hand the ball off to me, and that helps, too.”

After spending the past two seasons on sidelined with complications from an injury he sustained against Tulane in 2022, Simmons is back with the team and, according to him, healthy as ever.

“Physically, I feel great,” said Simmons. “That’s really important, obviously. I haven’t been prepared these past couple of seasons to pitch, and now I’m finally where I need to be. Emotionally, it’s been a roller coaster. There’s been a lot of ups and downs and rehab, and I’m just really grateful that I’m allowed to pitch now.”

When Simmons was sidelined, he had to watch as the past two Bulldog baseball squads struggled to piece together consistently productive outings on the mound. He was in the dug out for several late game collapses, miscues and misfortunes. As one of the expected closers for the program, Simmons struggled with that most of all.

“I think that’s been the toughest part of of rehab,” Simmons said. “You know, rehab in general is just really tough, especially from Tommy John, but just watching the team try to perform and struggle these past couple seasons has been so brutal for me. Thankfully, I think we’ve made a big turnaround. This offseason, we’ve made a lot of strides.”

As far as the team’s excitement towards the regular season being less than a month away, Simmons was ecstatic.

“Really, what’s taking over right now is the excitement for the season,” said Simmons. “I just can’t wait to get back out there for the first time…I’m just really, really excited.”

With Mississippi State set to compete in intra-squad scrimmages for the remainder of the weekend, Diamond Dawg baseball fans can get their first look at this year’s team. Those scrimmages begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday and 11:55 a.m. on Sunday.

The team’s first game of the season will come on Feb. 16, as the Bulldogs host Air Force for a three-game opening weekend series.

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