Shae Simmons Stats & Scouting Report

IP	36
ERA	3.5
WHIP	1.111
BB/9	3.75
SO/9	8.5

Full name Shae Austin Simmons
Born 09/03/1990 in Cape Girardeau, MO
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Southeast Missouri State
Debut 05/31/2014
Drafted in the 22nd round (689th overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2012.

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While shortstop Kenton Parmley had the third-longest hitting streak in NCAA Division I history (47 games) and third baseman Trenton Moses finished the regular season leading the nation in on-base percentage (.549) and slugging (.802) at the end of the regular season, it's Simmons who's the top prospect at Southeast Missouri State. When he's on, he has three solid pitches in an 89-93 mph fastball, a hard slider and changeup with tumbling action. He doesn't hold his velocity deep into games or show much command as a starter because of his size (5-foot-11, 176 pounds) and has a lot of effort in his delivery. As a result, he profiles as a reliever, a role in which he has been clocked up to 96 mph in summer ball.

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Simmons' 2015 season ended before it began when he had Tommy John surgery in mid-February. Before that he had charted a meteoric rise through the Atlanta system, beginning in 2013 when he saved 24 games in 25 opportunities. He continued to dominate at Double-A Mississippi in 2014 and wound up pitching in the majors before shoulder discomfort shelved him in late July. Simmons' bread and butter is a heavy, sinking fastball that sits at 95-97 mph and reached triple digits prior to his surgery. His slider has the potential to become a plus pitch with excellent tilt, though he has been inconsistent with the offering's command. He also shows an overhand curveball that he uses like a changeup, but he needs to add more depth to the pitch. Simmons has the overall stuff to work as a closer in the big leagues, but the Braves won't know what they have for sure until late 2016 or possibly 2017.
Former scouting director Paul Snyder used to encourage his scouts to "find a big leaguer" regardless of the round a player was taken. The Braves did just that with Simmons, an undersized reliever who sped from the 22nd round in 2012 to the majors in two years. Simmons went 14-for-14 in save opportunities and did not allow a run in 19 of his 20 Double-A Mississippi outings prior to being promoted to Atlanta at the end of May. He continued to have success in the big leagues before shoulder discomfort sidelined him in late July. Simmons is a classic power pitcher with a heavy fastball that sits at 95-97 mph and touches 100. He also has an above-average, yet inconsistent, slider that is unhittable when he generates the proper tilt. He mixes in an overhand curveball to keep hitters off-balance. Simmons' delivery requires some effort, and his 5-foot-9 frame already had raised questions about his durability. The Braves proceeded cautiously with his shoulder ailment last year. If healthy, Simmons will return to the Atlanta bullpen in 2015 as a set-up man.
A reliever his first two years at Southeast Missouri State, Simmons became a starter during his final year at Southeast Missouri State with ex-big leaguer Steve Bieser as his pitching coach. Simmons returned to the bullpen to open the 2013 campaign at low Class A Rome and proceeded to dominate the South Atlantic League by saving 24 games in 25 opportunities and averaging 14 strikeouts per nine innings. He continued to perform in a set-up role at Double-A Mississippi following a two-step promotion in early August. An undersized righthander, Simmons is a power pitcher whose heavy fastball hit 100 mph on several occasions last season and sat in the 95-97 mph range. He also throws an above-average slider that can be unhittable when he generates proper tilt, and he keeps hitters honest with a 12-to-6 curveball that works as his change of pace. Simmons' mechanics require some effort, and his frame does not resemble the fire-breathing reliever prototype. Most scouts believe he can be an effective situational option late in games against righthanders, who batted just .148 against him in 2013. Simmons could be pitching in Atlanta at some point in 2014 provided he picks up where he left off.

Draft Prospects

While shortstop Kenton Parmley had the third-longest hitting streak in NCAA Division I history (47 games) and third baseman Trenton Moses finished the regular season leading the nation in on-base percentage (.549) and slugging (.802) at the end of the regular season, it's Simmons who's the top prospect at Southeast Missouri State. When he's on, he has three solid pitches in an 89-93 mph fastball, a hard slider and changeup with tumbling action. He doesn't hold his velocity deep into games or show much command as a starter because of his size (5-foot-11, 176 pounds) and has a lot of effort in his delivery. As a result, he profiles as a reliever, a role in which he has been clocked up to 96 mph in summer ball.