Baseball
Simmons, Derek
Derek Simmons
- Title:
- Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
- Email:
- dsimmon@iu.edu
- Phone:
- (812) 855-9155
Twitter: @CoachSimmons4
Instagram: @d_simmons4
Derek Simmons enters his fifth season at Indiana and continues to work with the hitters and coach the infielders and man the third-base coaches’ box on game days, while entering his third season as the program’s recruiting coordinator.
The 12-year coaching veteran has thrived on the recruiting front in previous stops, with a pair of top-25 recruiting class to go along with four other “top classes” per Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The Duluth, Georgia, native was also named to Baseball America’s Coaches to Watch list in 2018 and 2019.
In his career, he has coached or recruited 58 all-conference honorees, three conference “of the year” award winners, nine All-Americans and five Freshmen All-Americans. The Duluth, Georgia, native is also a part of the USA Baseball program, which includes stints with the 18U National Team and the 14U National Training Development Program.
Career Achievements - Indiana
Baseball America's Top-10 Assistant Coaches entering 2024
Baseball America's Coaches to Watch List (2018-2023)
2023 USA Baseball 15U National Baseball Team Assistant Coach
- coached the team to an International Friendly Series title
2023 Indiana Recruiting Class ranked 17th by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper
- highest in program history
Indiana Era (2020-present)
His time in Bloomington has seen the development of multiple MLB Draft picks, three Freshmen All-Americans in 2022, one freshman All-American hitter in 2023, a shortened 2020 season and a program-record 26 Big Ten victories during the 2021 conference-only slate.
Devin Taylor broke onto the scene as a freshman in 2023, breaking the Indiana freshman RBI record (59) and earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. He hit 16 home runs in his rookie year which is No. 2 among freshmen in program history behind only Carter Mathison’s 19 in 2022. Taylor made 42 starts in the outfield in 2023.
The Hoosiers hit 77 home runs as a team which is fifth in program history while also recording 131 doubles (tied-third in program history) and 1055 total bases (third in program history). Four different players started 50+ games and hit over .300 including shortstop Phillip Glasser (.357) and first baseman Brock Tibbitts (.357).
In 2022, the trio of position players, Carter Mathison, Josh Pyne and Brock Tibbitts were all tabbed to Freshman All-America teams, with Mathison setting the Indiana freshman home run mark at 19 home runs. That total ranked No. 3 nationally among freshmen. Along with the trio of Freshman All-America picks, Evan Goforth joined them on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
During the 2021 season, Indiana’s 44-game Big Ten-only schedule led to just the second season in program history with 20-plus conference wins. The 26 victories topped the 21 victories by the 2014 team in the conference’s customary 24-game slate. At season’s end, Cole Barr and Grant Richardson were taken in the 2021 MLB Draft. Barr went in the 15th round to Seattle and Richardson was a 17th round pick by the New York Yankees.
The Hoosiers finished the 2020 campaign 9-6 overall with road wins over No. 11 LSU, No. 30 South Alabama, and No. 17 East Carolina. IU also defeated in-state rival Purdue, 17-2, in seven innings, before the 2020 season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kent State Era (2018-19)
In two seasons as an assistant coach at Kent State, he helped land the second-highest recruiting class in program history during the 2018-19 cycle as the program’s recruiting coordinator. The 2019 freshman class entered as the No. 25-ranked class in the country per Collegiate Baseball.
Simmons was named one of 20 assistant coaches nationwide named to Baseball America’s Coaches to Watch List in 2018 and 2019 and one of 30 assistant coaches invited to the Surefire Baseball Forum for elite assistants in January 2018 and 2019.
The program’s hitting coach, Simmons helped the Golden Flashes to the Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament title in 2018. In 2019, Kent State’s offense finished in the top 50 nationally in scoring, batting average, doubles, stolen bases, and slugging percentage.
He tutored four All-Americans and 12 All-MAC selections, including 2019 Freshman All-American and MAC Freshman of the Year Justin Kirby. Seven Golden Flashes were drafted under his tutelage, including three in the top 10 rounds. He also coached two Johnny Bench/Buster Posey Award semifinalists and one John Olerud semifinalist.
Alabama Era (2017)
Simmons oversaw the infielders, assisted with the hitters, served as the on-campus recruiter and camp coordinator, and was the academic liaison for the team in his one season at Alabama. The Tide defense led the SEC in double plays per game (0.93) and was one of 14 Division I schools to turn a triple play during the season.
Kennesaw State Era (2013-16)
In four seasons at Kennesaw State, including his final three seasons as the program’s recruiting coordinator. In his first season as the recruiting coordinator for the Owls, Simmons netted the No. 22-ranked class in the country and followed that with two more “high honors” classes per Collegiate Baseball.
A part of the program’s upsurge into Division I, Simmons was a part of the Owls first Division I conference regular season and tournament titles, the first Division I NCAA Baseball Championship qualifier and the program’s first top-25 finish in 2014 at No. 13 nationally per Collegiate Baseball.
In just its ninth year in Division I, Simmons helped build a roster that swept through the 2014 Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament to earn the first Division I NCAA Baseball Championships berth. The Owls rode that momentum into the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, where they toppled Alabama in a winner-take-all championship game to move on to the Louisville Super Regional against the No. 12-seeded Cardinals. That season, the Owls finished the season among the national leaders in hits (No. 3; 677) and batting average (No. 18; .297).
The program continued its upward trend by winning the ASUN regular season crown for the first time during the 2016 season. Under the guidance of Simmons, Kennesaw State posted a 17-4 mark in conference play.
Simmons recruited and mentored the 2014 Johnny Bench Award winner and Dick Howser Trophy finalist, Max Pentecost. Pentecost was also named an All-American, earned Atlantic Sun and ABCA District Player of the Year, and captured Georgia Dugout Club Player of the Year on his way to being a first-round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.
In all, Simmons helped four student-athletes earn All-America or Freshman All-America honors and 31 take All-ASUN laurels. He tutored 19 Owls that were selected in the MLB Draft, with nine taken in the top 10 rounds.
On the recruiting trail, all four of the programs recruiting classes were honored by Collegiate Baseball, including the nationally ranked 2013 class. His 2014, 2015 and 2016 classes were all named “Top Classes” by the publication. Baseball America named him the “Best in the Atlantic Sun” and Perfect Game recognized him as one of 10 coaches “Who Are Everywhere Recruiting.”
Early Coaching Career & USA Baseball
His first coaching stop was the volunteer assistant coaching post at Central Michigan (2011-12), helping the Chippewas claim a 2011 Mid-American Conference West Division title with seven student-athletes on the all-MAC squad.
Simmons has also excelled as a part of USA Baseball since 2012. He has coached and been an evaluator for the Tournament of Stars and the 18U National Team and served as an assistant coach for the 14U NTDP team in 2018.
Playing & Personal
Simmons started his playing career at the University of Montevallo and helped the Falcons to the Division II College World Series in 2006. A two-year letterwinner at UM, he went on to earn two more letters and was named team captain at Georgia State. The first player in GSU history to earn first-team all-conference honoree twice, he finished his career among in the top ten in numerous single season categories with a .344 career batting average.
He and his wife, Erin, have one daughter, Bella, and one son, Braxton.
Instagram: @d_simmons4
Derek Simmons enters his fifth season at Indiana and continues to work with the hitters and coach the infielders and man the third-base coaches’ box on game days, while entering his third season as the program’s recruiting coordinator.
The 12-year coaching veteran has thrived on the recruiting front in previous stops, with a pair of top-25 recruiting class to go along with four other “top classes” per Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The Duluth, Georgia, native was also named to Baseball America’s Coaches to Watch list in 2018 and 2019.
In his career, he has coached or recruited 58 all-conference honorees, three conference “of the year” award winners, nine All-Americans and five Freshmen All-Americans. The Duluth, Georgia, native is also a part of the USA Baseball program, which includes stints with the 18U National Team and the 14U National Training Development Program.
Career Achievements - Indiana
Baseball America's Top-10 Assistant Coaches entering 2024
Baseball America's Coaches to Watch List (2018-2023)
2023 USA Baseball 15U National Baseball Team Assistant Coach
- coached the team to an International Friendly Series title
2023 Indiana Recruiting Class ranked 17th by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper
- highest in program history
Indiana Era (2020-present)
His time in Bloomington has seen the development of multiple MLB Draft picks, three Freshmen All-Americans in 2022, one freshman All-American hitter in 2023, a shortened 2020 season and a program-record 26 Big Ten victories during the 2021 conference-only slate.
Devin Taylor broke onto the scene as a freshman in 2023, breaking the Indiana freshman RBI record (59) and earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. He hit 16 home runs in his rookie year which is No. 2 among freshmen in program history behind only Carter Mathison’s 19 in 2022. Taylor made 42 starts in the outfield in 2023.
The Hoosiers hit 77 home runs as a team which is fifth in program history while also recording 131 doubles (tied-third in program history) and 1055 total bases (third in program history). Four different players started 50+ games and hit over .300 including shortstop Phillip Glasser (.357) and first baseman Brock Tibbitts (.357).
In 2022, the trio of position players, Carter Mathison, Josh Pyne and Brock Tibbitts were all tabbed to Freshman All-America teams, with Mathison setting the Indiana freshman home run mark at 19 home runs. That total ranked No. 3 nationally among freshmen. Along with the trio of Freshman All-America picks, Evan Goforth joined them on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
During the 2021 season, Indiana’s 44-game Big Ten-only schedule led to just the second season in program history with 20-plus conference wins. The 26 victories topped the 21 victories by the 2014 team in the conference’s customary 24-game slate. At season’s end, Cole Barr and Grant Richardson were taken in the 2021 MLB Draft. Barr went in the 15th round to Seattle and Richardson was a 17th round pick by the New York Yankees.
The Hoosiers finished the 2020 campaign 9-6 overall with road wins over No. 11 LSU, No. 30 South Alabama, and No. 17 East Carolina. IU also defeated in-state rival Purdue, 17-2, in seven innings, before the 2020 season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kent State Era (2018-19)
In two seasons as an assistant coach at Kent State, he helped land the second-highest recruiting class in program history during the 2018-19 cycle as the program’s recruiting coordinator. The 2019 freshman class entered as the No. 25-ranked class in the country per Collegiate Baseball.
Simmons was named one of 20 assistant coaches nationwide named to Baseball America’s Coaches to Watch List in 2018 and 2019 and one of 30 assistant coaches invited to the Surefire Baseball Forum for elite assistants in January 2018 and 2019.
The program’s hitting coach, Simmons helped the Golden Flashes to the Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament title in 2018. In 2019, Kent State’s offense finished in the top 50 nationally in scoring, batting average, doubles, stolen bases, and slugging percentage.
He tutored four All-Americans and 12 All-MAC selections, including 2019 Freshman All-American and MAC Freshman of the Year Justin Kirby. Seven Golden Flashes were drafted under his tutelage, including three in the top 10 rounds. He also coached two Johnny Bench/Buster Posey Award semifinalists and one John Olerud semifinalist.
Alabama Era (2017)
Simmons oversaw the infielders, assisted with the hitters, served as the on-campus recruiter and camp coordinator, and was the academic liaison for the team in his one season at Alabama. The Tide defense led the SEC in double plays per game (0.93) and was one of 14 Division I schools to turn a triple play during the season.
Kennesaw State Era (2013-16)
In four seasons at Kennesaw State, including his final three seasons as the program’s recruiting coordinator. In his first season as the recruiting coordinator for the Owls, Simmons netted the No. 22-ranked class in the country and followed that with two more “high honors” classes per Collegiate Baseball.
A part of the program’s upsurge into Division I, Simmons was a part of the Owls first Division I conference regular season and tournament titles, the first Division I NCAA Baseball Championship qualifier and the program’s first top-25 finish in 2014 at No. 13 nationally per Collegiate Baseball.
In just its ninth year in Division I, Simmons helped build a roster that swept through the 2014 Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament to earn the first Division I NCAA Baseball Championships berth. The Owls rode that momentum into the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, where they toppled Alabama in a winner-take-all championship game to move on to the Louisville Super Regional against the No. 12-seeded Cardinals. That season, the Owls finished the season among the national leaders in hits (No. 3; 677) and batting average (No. 18; .297).
The program continued its upward trend by winning the ASUN regular season crown for the first time during the 2016 season. Under the guidance of Simmons, Kennesaw State posted a 17-4 mark in conference play.
Simmons recruited and mentored the 2014 Johnny Bench Award winner and Dick Howser Trophy finalist, Max Pentecost. Pentecost was also named an All-American, earned Atlantic Sun and ABCA District Player of the Year, and captured Georgia Dugout Club Player of the Year on his way to being a first-round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.
In all, Simmons helped four student-athletes earn All-America or Freshman All-America honors and 31 take All-ASUN laurels. He tutored 19 Owls that were selected in the MLB Draft, with nine taken in the top 10 rounds.
On the recruiting trail, all four of the programs recruiting classes were honored by Collegiate Baseball, including the nationally ranked 2013 class. His 2014, 2015 and 2016 classes were all named “Top Classes” by the publication. Baseball America named him the “Best in the Atlantic Sun” and Perfect Game recognized him as one of 10 coaches “Who Are Everywhere Recruiting.”
Early Coaching Career & USA Baseball
His first coaching stop was the volunteer assistant coaching post at Central Michigan (2011-12), helping the Chippewas claim a 2011 Mid-American Conference West Division title with seven student-athletes on the all-MAC squad.
Simmons has also excelled as a part of USA Baseball since 2012. He has coached and been an evaluator for the Tournament of Stars and the 18U National Team and served as an assistant coach for the 14U NTDP team in 2018.
Playing & Personal
Simmons started his playing career at the University of Montevallo and helped the Falcons to the Division II College World Series in 2006. A two-year letterwinner at UM, he went on to earn two more letters and was named team captain at Georgia State. The first player in GSU history to earn first-team all-conference honoree twice, he finished his career among in the top ten in numerous single season categories with a .344 career batting average.
He and his wife, Erin, have one daughter, Bella, and one son, Braxton.
Big Ten Tournament Press Conference - vs. Rutgers
Wednesday, May 21
NCAA Postgame Press Conference - Southern Miss - 2
Sunday, June 02
NCAA Postgame Press Conference - Tennessee
Sunday, June 02
NCAA Postgame Press Conference - Southern Miss
Friday, May 31
