'A special one'

Landon Tomkins can’t sit still as he paces back and forth in his house.

His dream of playing in the majors took a giant step forward Monday, as the former Louisiana Tech Bulldog was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 10th round, with the 287th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

It still doesn’t feel real for Tomkins, who was not highly recruited out of high school. But it’s a not a dream — the Brandon, Mississippi, native is now a part of an MLB organization.

“I don't think it’s all completely registered in my mind yet about what an awesome opportunity it is,” Tomkins said to the Leader Monday evening. “I can’t even sit down. I’m just walking around the house.

“So thankful to all the coaches who were very supporting of me. They pushed me and they told me it was up to me to capture my full potential and they helped me get there.”

Tomkins is now the 79th draft pick in LA Tech history and becomes the fourth Bulldog taken by the Pirates, the last being Mike Jefferson in 2011.

His selection is also the first time since 2017-18 the Bulldogs have had a pitcher drafted in back-to-back drafts.

Tomkins’ slot value for his draft position is $171,200.

During the fall, Tomkins spoke with the Pirates in a get-to-know-you Zoom call, led by area scout supervisor John Lombardo, who oversees north Texas, Oklahoma, and north Louisiana for Pittsburgh.

Tomkins took a personality test and answered basic questions about his profile, and then only spoke with the organization twice the rest of the year up until the draft.

Why did they feel Tomkins would fit in well with their overall plans?

“They really liked the fact that I can pitch pretty much every day and my availability is really high,” Tomkins said. “I can pitch every other day or every day. I can start. I can come out of the bullpen. We didn’t get into my specific role yet, but if I had to assume, I’d say it would be bullpen.”

Tomkins made a team-high 30 appearances (tied for fourth most in program history) on the mound this past season, including six starts. He put up a 3.52 ERA with 75 strikeouts over 76 2/3 innings pitched. Tomkins ranked second on the team in innings pitched, strikeouts, ERA, and victories.

As the draft approached, Tomkins heard from the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies as other interested teams but ended up going to the team that showed first contact.

LA Tech baseball coach Lane Burroughs put his trust in Tomkins more than most this spring and is excited to see another Bulldog make his way to the big leagues.

"Landon pitched in some huge moments during his time as a Bulldog, and he always ran toward the moment and never away from it,” Burroughs said to the Leader Monday evening. “And more times than not, he came out on top. We asked him to take on different roles for us throughout his career – long relief, closing and the occasional start. He attacked them all with an intense ferocity."

The Pirates double-dipped in the Louisiana talent pool, starting their draft off by taking LSU ace Paul Skenes with the first overall pick on Sunday. With Tomkins’ selection, Pittsburgh entered the final day of the draft with nine pitchers taken.

Tomkins said he’s never met Skenes or had personal conversations but does remember the Bulldogs facing off against Air Force in regular season and postseason play while Skenes played for the Falcons before transferring to LSU.

Mike Silva, who coached Tomkins during the 2021 season before leaving for Nicholls State, still remembers watching the right-hander come into the DI level from Hinds Community College.

At the time, Tomkins was a raw arm and needed to focus on developing what Silva calls ‘pitching weapons.’

In today’s MLB, Silva said that’s what teams want. Pitchers have to throw multiple pitches, each with good movement and accuracy.

Between an effective changeup and good fastball velocity, Silva anticipates Tomkins will make his way to the majors in no time.

“It never gets old,” Silva said. “One of the most special things at this level is watching these guys make it to where they want to go. You sell that to them in recruiting and to their families, and so to see it is always a great feeling.”

So when did Silva take a turn from seeing a raw talent into a potential big-league asset?

Going up against a fellow future MLB draftee doesn’t hurt.

Tomkins took the mound in the Bulldogs’ road matchup at Southern Miss in March 2021, facing Reed Trimble, the future 65th overall draft in the 2021 MLB Draft.

Silva and the coaching staff didn’t know what to expect. Tomkins had appeared in just four games prior to the road series.

It’s bottom of the ninth, with LA Tech leading 3-2. But the Golden Eagles have runners on second and third with one out, with Tomkins inheriting the mess.

Even with only 8 innings at the DI level up to that point, it didn’t stop Tomkins from coming up big. He struck out Trimble on a 3-2 count, getting the future Baltimore Oriole to whiff at a changeup. To close the game and pick up the save, Tomkins struck out the final batter on three pitches.

“That was really the first time I thought, ‘oh, man, this guy might play professional baseball,’” Silva said.

Now that Tomkins is off to Pittsburgh, and likely entering a bullpen role to anchor a future rotation, how does Silva view his former Bulldog?

Among feelings of admiration and respect for his work ethic, Silva credits Tomkins for embracing the closer role head on, because not everyone is cut out for shining in the tense moments.

“You gotta love that rush,” Silva said. “If you get in that mindset and feel like you’re going to cut through the lineup, it’s quite an experience. I mean even as a fan, you can cut the tension with a knife. It’s like 30 times that for a guy pitching. It takes a special one to do that. It takes a really special individual to do that job.”