ASU’s Landon Hairston sets program record for single-season home runs, opposing pitcher delivers ball

Sometimes, you have to tip the cap to greatness.

Arizona State sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston hit his 28th home run on Thursday to set a new school record for home runs in a single season at a storied college baseball program, and it was opposing Cincinnati ace Nathan Taylor who ensured Hairston got the ball back.

I think it is incredibly important to note that it was UC starter and ace Nathan Taylor that got our this historic ball to present to Landon.

That is one of the most class-act things I've witnessed live and shouldn't go unmentioned.

Massive kudos to that kid https://t.co/8D0avij5PP

— Jeremy Hawkes (@JeremyHawkes) May 22, 2026

The previous ASU record of 27 home runs had stood since 2000, set by Mitch Jones. Legendary slugger Barry Bonds hit 23 home runs in 1985 for his most home runs in a single season during his three years with the team.

Hairston reached 25 home runs with 12 games left in the regular season after a stretch that included 20 homers in a 24-game span.

He then battled a 10-game drought that was his longest of the season before blasting one in three straight games to set the record on Thursday.

History for Hairston.

Devils in control.

📺ESPNU pic.twitter.com/Macgo4GvpU

— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) May 22, 2026

“For this young man to be on top of that mountain, that’s pretty damn special,” head coach Willie Bloomquist told reporters. “It’s amazing, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to recruit him, get him here, coach him and then have him essentially be the cornerstone of a very good offense for us and do what he’s doing.

“Everyone was anticipating him breaking this record, and there were a few weeks there where he didn’t get him runs, but … he was still getting his hits, he was still getting on base, he was still being a catalyst for our offense. To me, that’s just a sign of a great hitter and a great player.”

ASU would beat Cincinnati, 10-2, to move onto the Big 12 semifinals, where it lost, 7-3, to a top-10 West Virginia squad.

Despite the loss, the Sun Devils should go into Selection Monday for the NCAA Tournament (9 a.m. MST on ESPN2) feeling good about their inclusion.

A Queen Creek product and the son of 11-year MLB player Scott Hairston, Landon Hairston will enter the tournament leading the nation in slugging (.913) while he’s third in batting average (.420), fourth in home runs (28) and eighth in on-base percentage (.524).

He was named Big 12 Player of the Year. He’s also one of 25 finalists for the national Golden Spikes Award; three finalists will be announced on June 10 before a winner is named on June 29.

Because Hairston is a sophomore, he will have to play one more season of college ball before he’s MLB Draft-eligible.

“To be part of something in such a storied program, it means the world to me,” Hairston said after the record. “There are no words to describe it. It was a big weight off my shoulders, that’s for sure, but I’m just super excited.”

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