By Derek Thompson
The Selma Times-Journal

After an extended spring training, former Wallace Community College Selma pitcher Kevin Simmons is one step closer to his dream of playing in the major leagues.

Last week, Simmons made the roster for the Hillsboro Hops, a minor league baseball team in Hillsboro, Ore. The team is a Class A short season team and has been a farm team for the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2001.

Simmons and the Hops played their first game of the season Thursday night.

Simmons pitched in relief and was credited with the loss in the 6-5 defeat to the Spokane Indians.

Simmons gave up two hits and struck out one batter on the night.

“We have a lot of new guys on the team so we had a new roster and everyone was getting their first-game jitters out of the way,” he said.

Simmons said in order to keep progressing through the hierarchy of minor league baseball he needs to have better command of his pitches and keep working hard.

“I’ve been trying to have better fastball command, command my off-speed pitches in the zone and get groundballs,” Simmons said. “I just need to play my role on the team and be level-headed and know what is important to me and my family and just keep trying to move up.”

Wallace Community College Selma baseball coach Frank Elliott said he wasn’t surprised when he found out Simmons has already moved up in the minor league ranks.

“I talked with one of the scouts for the Diamondbacks and they said he was doing good,” Elliott said.

“I’m not surprised  with his work ethic. He came out of the fall with us really pacing himself well. You could tell he had a plan then of what he wanted. I’m not surprised at all.”

After the Dallas County native was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 16th round of the 2014 MLB Draft, Simmons pitched for the Missoula Osprey, a short-season team, which is designated rookie advanced.

Simmons acted as the long man out of the Osprey’s bullpen throwing 47.1 innings in 18 games last year.

He had 43 strikeouts and posted an ERA of 3.61, which was the best of anybody on the team that threw over 20 innings.