Atlanta Braves 2017 Under the Radar Pitcher Options
By Fred Owens
Jarrod Parker (RHP – sign)
Jarrod Parker is another former first round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks, this time it’s the 2008 draft when he was ninth overall. From 2008 through 2012 he was a fixture on the top 50 prospect lists of Baseball America and Baseball prospectus. In 2012 MLBPipeline agreed making him the 26th overall prospect in baseball.
He made his major league debut in 2011 making just one start throwing 5 2/3 innings against the Dodgers. That December the D’Backs traded him along with Ryan Cook and Collin Cowgill to the Oakland Athletics for Craig Breslow, Trevor Cahill and some cash.
Parker made 32 starts in 2013 throwing 197 innings while posting a 3.97 ERA, 4.40 FIP and 1.223 WHIP striking out 134 and walking 63, two intentionally. The 2014 season looked like it would be his breakout year but his elbow had different ideas and on March 24th Dr. Andrews replaced his UCL.
Injuries
(Injury data from Pro Sports Transactions )
In May 2015 Parker fractured his right elbow ending his TJ rehab for 2014. The Athletics signed him to an $850K contract for 2016 but on March 13th he fractured his right elbow again and according to ESPN, “. . . revised UCL did not need repairing, and the avulsed medial epicondyle fracture was cleaned up and repaired.” Parker didn’t throw a pitch in an actual game this year and the A’s outrighted him after the season but he elected free agency.
Parker split ground balls and fly balls pretty evenly in is major league starts. He’s not a big strikeout guy but kept the ball in the park. Brooks Baseball describes the 2013 version of Parker as having abandoned his slider and working primarily off a sinker/ change combination with his change being his best swing and miss pitch. He mixed in an average four seam fastball (in the video below he touches 93) that lacked movement and a curve they describe a 12 to 6 breaker thrown extremely hard and lacking depth.
That sounds like a very hittable pitcher but it looks as if the way he mixes pitches keeps batters off-balance. The video is just over four minutes and I recommend silencing the annoying background music.
Parker would have to prove himself healthy so a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves and an invite to spring training looks ideal. If he regains form and improves his secondary pitches he could be a nice, inexpensive addition
| GB/FB | LD% | GB% | FB% | IFFB% | HR/FB |
| 1.04 | 19.3% | 4120.0% | 39.5% | 7.9% | 10.5% |
| Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% | Soft% | Med% | Hard% |
| 40.9% | 38.9% | 20.2% | 15.5% | 55.9% | 28.7% |