College Baseball
Arizona State Landon Hairston is Showing His Maturity
Arizona State’s Landon Hairston is showing his maturity, He is looking to get the Sun Devil baseball back to Omaha.
Arizona State’s Landon Hairston is showing his maturity. He is currently one of the top power hitters at the NCAA Division 1 Level and has helped the Sun Devils to 23 wins through 32 games.
Breakout Season
The sophomore outfielder is currently enjoying a historic breakout season. This season, he is one of the best overall hitters in college baseball. He is in the top five in home runs, RBIs, slugging, total bases, and extra-base hits. Also showcasing confident and elite plate discipline, Hairston has struck out only 11 times.
https://x.com/big12studios/status/2039715136487714837
Last Season
Hairston’s first year was solid. He had a .333 batting average in 195 at-bats with 12 doubles and 37 RBIs. His average was even better with runners in scoring position, .441 (26-for-59). He was one of the key hitters who got the Sun Devils to a 2025 Regional after missing out on the previous three seasons.
A Few Awards
In 2025, Hairston was named to the NCBWA second team. He was the 38th Freshman All-American in Sun Devil history to accomplish this feat. On top of that, he was First-Team All-Big 12 and part of the Big 12’s All-Freshman team. This season, he has won the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Player of the Week and the Big 12 Player of the Week. He was then named the NCBWA Player of the Month and the Perfect Game Midseason Player of the Year.
Three Generations of MLB
Landon Hairston comes from a long line of ballplayers. The 20-year-old is the son of former MLB player Scott Hairston and grandson of Jerry Hairston Sr. His uncle, Jerry Hairston Jr., also played big-league ball. Add to that another generation, great-grandfather Sam Hairston played in the Negro Leagues, and great-uncle John Hairston appeared in three MLB games.
Hairston’s Dominance
Arizona State’s Landon Hairston is showing his maturity and dominance. He has a 15-game hitting streak during which he hit seven home runs and drove in 25 runs. One of his home runs was the second-longest recorded at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 460ft. He leads the nation with four grand slams on the season, tying an ASU school record. Hairston is just two shy of the NCAA single-season grand slam record—and there are still a few months left in the season.
Scouts
Some scouts and college baseball experts are comparing the young Hairston to previous Sun Devils Barry Bonds, Bob Horner, Kevin Romine, and Spencer Torkelson. Mitch Jones is the single-season leader with 27 home runs in a season. With 25 games left to play, Hairston could not only challenge that record, but he might even beat it.
Getting in the Spotlight
Hairston’s incredible start has brought him national acknowledgment and recognition. MLB scouts are watching him play for both his offensive and defensive skills. He has moved up to number 11 on the MLB.com college stock watch list for the upcoming draft.
https://www.statepress.com/article/2026/04/asu-landon-hairston-profile.
College World Series
Arizona State has a storied baseball program. They have won five College World Series. However, they have not won the championship since 1981. They have not been to Omaha since 2010—though that could change this season. Early indications suggest Hairston will meet or break records this season. With Hairston leading the way in both hitting and defense, and the team playing well overall, we could see the Sun Devils return to the College World Series in mid-June and make a solid run.
Jim Marshall
Jim Marshall has been writing about sports for over 10 years. He started his sports career in radio, co-hosting and producing several sports-talk radio programs in Phoenix. He has covered local, college, and national sports, but specializes in MLB. His articles have appeared in several sports-reporting sites, including our own Legends On Deck. Jim is also a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA).
