Baseball in Fort Wayne

Posts Tagged ‘Justin Parker’

Sibling Diamondbacks’ farmhands, Jarrod and Justin Parker will continue to progress through Arizona’s system this year.

After Jarrod’s showing in the MidWest League with the Silverhawks, he probably won’t be back there. This spring, he made an impression on ESPN’s Peter Gammons. His natural progression would be to begin the year with the high-A Vasalia Rawhide. But don’t be surprised if he moves up to Double-A before the season’s end.

The No. 1 prospect, 19-year-old Jarrod Parker, could find his way to Mobile before the end of the season because many believe the hard-throwing right-hander, who averaged 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings in the second half of last season at Class A South Bend, is on a fast track to the majors [everythingalabama.com].

Also be sure to check out Bad Wax for Jarrod’s card. Here’s their take:

Jarrod Parker – P – Diamondbacks- 2007 – 1st round – He had a great first year in his pro career playing for the South Bend Skyhawks.  Where he went 12-5/3.44/1.24 with 117 strikeouts in 117 innings.  The Diamondbacks see big things for this low level prospect.  Look for him to split time between high A and AA this season.

Oen has to wonder where Justin Parker will begin and ultimately play the bulk of the season. Perhaps we’ll get treated to having him in the Midwest League with the Silverhawks. What makes that even better is the fact tha the is an infielder – not a pitcher – so we’ll likely get to see him on his first trip rather than having to take our chances with a rotation. Bad Wax also has a look at Justin:

Justin D. Parker – 2008 – Arizona – 6th round – He had a tough first season in the minors.  For Yankima he hit 0.210/0/14/12 in 181 at bats.  He projects as a 5 tool player, even if it doesn’t seem that way from the stats.

The Yakima Herald recently caught up with shortstop and recent Diamondbacks draft pick, Justin Parker. Parker is currently playing in the Northwest League (Class-A Short Season) for the Yakima Bears.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Parker was born March 14, 1987 in Fort Wayne, Ind. He played collegiately at Wright State University . . . and has a younger brother, Jarrod, who pitches for South Bend, an Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate in the Class A Midwest League.

He answers about 10 questions, spanning his favorite movies, baseball superstitions and more.

Last time out, we looked at a Mid-Season report of former Wizards who have been cast out of the Padres’ system for one reason or another. Today, we take a look at the local times across Minor League and Major League Baseball:

• Rob Bowen (Homestead): Bowen hasn’t seen a whole lot of action this year, which is his first with the Oakland A’s, but the rigors of the season look promising that he’ll get to take in a few more games in the second half. On the season, he’s been in 16 games and gotten 45 at-bats (through July 6). He’s sporting a .222 average with 10 hits, 2 doubles and a triple.
• Kyle Day (Snider):  Day was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds this year (after passing up the Cubs last year). He’s currently playing with the Billings Mustangs; the Reds entry of the Rookie Pioneer League. In 6 games with 19 at-bats, Day is hitting 2.63 with 5 hits and 4 runs and an RBI. In addition to his 5 hits, he’s drawn 3 walks to life his on-base percentage to .417 (through July 3).
• Dustin Glant (Wayne): Glant has seen 26 games in relief action for the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. He’s got a 1-2 record with a 6.75 ERA with 33 strikeouts and 21 walks over 45.1 innings pitched. 
• Jarrett Grube (DeKalb): Grube has pitched in 28 games for the Tulsa Drillers; a Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. All his action has been in releif, where he has a 2-1 record with a 5.68 ERA. He’s got 27 strikeouts while allowing 21 walks over 38 innings pitched.
  
• Josh Judy (Indiana Tech): In his first season as a pro, Jush Judy has seen 25 games with the Lake County Captains of the South Atlantic League (Class-A). Over 25 games, pitching all of them in relief, Judy has a 7-0 record with 1 save and a 3.52 ERA. His has an impressive 59 strikeouts and just 19 walks over 55.2 innings pitched.
• Simon Klink (Canterbury): Klink is playing with the Double-A Connecticut Defenders in the San Francisco Giants organization. Over 67 games, he has a .212 average with 1 home run and 20 RBI’s. 
• Jarrod Parker (Norwell): A first round pick in last year’s MLB draft, Parker has spent the season in the Midwest League with the South Bend Silverhawks of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ organization. In starting all 14 games he’s appeared in, Parker has a 7-3 record with a 3.25 ERA. He’s struck out 58 hitters and walked just 19 over 63.2 innings pirched (though July 3). Parker was also named to the MWL All-Star team. 
• Justin Parker: Jarrod’s older brother was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in this year’s draft after putting together another solid season at Wright State University. He’s signed and playing with the D-back’s Class A Short-Season team, the Yakima Bears of the Northwest League. In 12 games, he’s hitting .190 with 8 hits, a double and two triples while driving in four.
  

South Bend visits the Castle August 25-28. Wouldn’t it be a nice homecoming if both the Parker brothers were on the team to take on the Wizards?

• Bluffton Native, Mark Grove in 24th Year as Busco head baseball coach (June 3) – I’m a bit late getting to this one, but it’s a great read from the Bluffton News-Banner. It details the longevity of 1973 Bluffton High School graduate, Mark Grove as he approaches the quarter century mark as baseball coach at a school he began teaching at in 1979.
• Luers Has Shot at Historic Set of Championships – From the June 11 Journal Gazette. If the Knights are able to win Saturday in the IHSAA Class 2A state championship baseball game at Victory Field in Indianapolis, it would be Luers’ third state championship this school year, winning in football, boys basketball and baseball. No other school in state history has ever accomplished that feat. Greg Jones does a wonderful job of providing the “story behind the story”.
• D-backs Draft Q & AL 6th Rounder Justin Parker - Futurbacks.com chats with Justin Parker, who put up great numbers at Wright State and was a draft selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Jarrod’s elder brother answers fourteen questions about his draft selection and the type of player that he is (subscription required).

Last year, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Norwell’s Jarrod Parker with their first round selection. This year, they selected another Indiana Parker when they chose shortstop Justin Parker with the 198th pick during the 7th round of the 2008 MLB Draft.

Parker is a former Wayne High School standout and a junior at Wright State University. He lettered all four years for the Generals and was a two-time All-Summit Athletic Conference selection. As a senior, he was named to the Division 3A All-State team as he hit .498 with six home runs and 22 stolen bases.

Parker also holds the school record for batting average in a season, which he set as a senior while leading his team to the sectional championship. Upon graduation, he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 43rd round of the 2005 Major League draft but chose Wright State over going pro. While in school, he has earned honors as 2007 Second Team ABCA All-Region, 2007 First Team All-Horizon League and 2006 Horizon League All-Newcomer Team.

This season, Parker hit .395 with 70 hits, 44 runs scored and 53 runs batted in over 177 at bats. He hit 8 home runs and drew 25 walks. He started 46 games at shortstop and collected 21 multi-hit and 15 multi-RBI games. He missed seven games after being struck in the jaw with a pitch at Arkansas in February. 2008 honors included First Team All-Horizon League, ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team and he was on the Preseason Brooks Wallace Award Watch List. Parker also is tied for first in career doubles (55) at Wright State.

Wright State junior, Justin Parker was named First Team All-Horizon League. Butler University junior, Colin Ziegel was named to the 2008 All-Horizon League Second Team. Both players are Fort Wayne natives.

[Source: CSTV]