Braves promote Simmons to Class AA team

A good year of minor league baseball has gotten better for former Southeast Missouri State and Scott City High School standout Shae Simmons.

Simmons, in his second season with the Atlanta Braves organization, was promoted to the Mississippi Braves on Monday. Mississippi is Atlanta's Class AA affiliate located in Pearl, Miss.

The Mississippi Braves played a Southern League contest at Huntsville, Ala., Monday night. Simmons did not get into the game.

Simmons' promotion came after he tore up the South Atlantic League as the closer for the Class A Rome (Ga.) Braves.

The right-hander, who participated in this year's South Atlantic League All-Star Game, leads the league with 24 saves. He is 1-1 with a 1.49 ERA, allowing 26 hits, walking 15 and striking out 66 over 42 1/3 innings.

Simmons was drafted in the 22nd round by Atlanta last year following his junior season at Southeast.

Simmons is the second former Southeast baseball star and area high school product to receive a promotion by the Braves this year.

Trenton Moses, also in his second season with the Atlanta organization, was promoted several weeks ago to the Lynchburg (Va.) Hillcats. Lynchburg is the Braves' highest Class A team.

Moses was moved up from the Rome Braves, where the first baseman was batting a team-high .364 with two home runs, 11 doubles and 16 RBIs despite missing the first several weeks with a hand injury.

The Advance High School graduate has not found nearly as much success so far at Lynchburg, where he is batting .220 with one homer, 10 doubles and 18 RBIs in 36 games.

Moses was drafted in the 26th round by Atlanta a year ago after his senior season at Southeast. He was an All-American third baseman for the Redhawks.