This kid, Landon Koenig, from Page, North Dakota, a city of just 190 people, has a story that absolutely screams for attention. We're talking about a right-hander who went from being completely undrafted out of high school to hitting a blazing 98 MPH on the radar gun. That kind of velocity jump, from his fastball hanging in the low-to-mid 90s to comfortably sitting mid-90s and topping out at 98 MPH in 2026, is a legitimate game-changer.
From Rural Phenom to College Rollercoaster
Back in his high school days at May-Port, Koenig was a force of nature. He was a six-time letterman, playing baseball, football, and basketball, and he absolutely dominated on the mound. He put up an insane cumulative 1.79 ERA over 95.2 innings, punching out 168 batters along the way. That earned him All-Region honors four times and All-State twice. Scouts tagged him as one of North Dakota's top players for the 2023 MLB Draft, but nationally? He flew under the radar and ended up going undrafted. He committed to North Dakota State University, and that's where the journey hit some serious bumps. In his freshman year, 2024, starting on Sundays, he finished with a 7.54 ERA in 59.2 innings. His sophomore season in 2025, pitching exclusively out of the bullpen, saw him post a 6.17 ERA in 46.2 innings. Those are not exactly the numbers that scream "future pro."Ole Miss Unlocks the Arm Talent
Then came the transfer portal and a move to the University of Mississippi, and man, did things start to click. Used out of the Ole Miss bullpen in 2026, Koenig posted a 6.35 ERA in 22.2 innings. But look beneath the surface. The coaching staff there, especially Head Coach Mike Bianco, got this guy to push off the mound further and increase his extension, unlocking serious heat. His fastball, which was already decent, suddenly jumped to comfortably sitting in the mid-90s, topping out at 98 MPH. But it wasn't just velocity. They tweaked his delivery, slowing it down, making him more deliberate when coming set, which dramatically helped him cut down his walk rate. He might not always command his pitches perfectly, but he absolutely pounds the zone. He backs that fastball up with a high-80s slider, which also got a velocity bump at Ole Miss and features gyroscopic break with late bite. His high-80s splitter comes out clean, showing a gradient drop. His batted ball data in 2026 was mostly favorable too: 43.3% groundballs, 26.9% line drives, and 29.9% flyballs, even if he did give up four homers. Seriously, think about that journey: from a tiny North Dakota town, dominating high school, struggling through his first college stops, and then getting a serious velocity boost and refining his mechanics at Ole Miss. That's a story of pure grit and development. Landon Koenig has proven he can make mechanical changes and unlock more of his stuff. With that 98 MPH fastball and a nasty slider, watching where he lands in the draft and what he does next? That's going to be must-see. This kid's journey is only just getting started.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.