Mitchell Parker Chases Perfection for FredNats

The following story appeared in the June 2021 edition of Gus' Gazette, the official gameday magazine of the FredNats.

There's a case to be made that Mitchell Parker doesn't belong in Fredericksburg.

The left-handed starter, selected in the fifth round of the 2020 Draft by the Nationals, is the only member of last summer's draft class currently playing at the Low-A level. The four other college-age selections all began the 2021 season at Advanced-A Wilmington, one level above Parker.

But for Parker, there's plenty yet to learn. A product of San Jacinto College, Parker passed up a chance to play at collegiate powerhouse Tennessee to go the junior college route and get drafted more quickly. "San Jac" has a reputation for developing future professional talent, including Nationals 2019 first-rounder Jackson Rutledge.

"It definitely was a good thing, going to college for a little bit, growing up a little bit and learning about myself as a pitcher," says Parker. "And obviously, spending two years under Woody Williams as a pitching coach was a good introduction to what I'm gonna have to do in pro ball."

Williams is a big reason for San Jac's baseball success in recent years. The 15-year MLB veteran won 132 games in his career for Toronto, San Diego, St. Louis and Houston. And he's imparted his wisdom to the next generation of pitching talent.

Parker, who hails from Albuquerque, is trying to prove that he can rise through the ranks as a starter. With a solid, high-spin fastball and a biting curveball, his two best pitches could see him converted into a reliever long-term. For now, though, the FredNats like him plenty in the rotation.

His professional career couldn't have started any better. His first start of 2021 in the season's opening week at Lynchburg saw him achieve a rare four-strikeout inning, fanning all four batters he faced in the first inning despite a wild pitch that allowed a batter to reach base.

At the end of the season's first month, Parker led the Low-A East in innings pitched, earned run average, and opponent batting average. His 43 strikeouts were 10 more than any other pitcher in the league. And he was one of the few bright spots in a slow start for his club, receiving the winning decision in two of his team's five May wins.

It all came together in Fredericksburg's six-game series in Kinston, North Carolina against the Down East Wood Ducks in the final week of May. Parker earned Low-A East Pitcher of the Week honors for his efforts in his two starts, striking out 22 Down East batters over 12.0 shutout innings. He took a no-hitter into the sixth in the series opener, a 2-0 FredNats victory, and topped that performance by completing 6.0 no-hit innings in the series finale five days later, a game the FredNats won 7-2.

Maybe Parker will soon make it up to the next level. He's certainly pitched well enough to earn a promotion. But while he's here in Fredericksburg, fans ought to take notice and appreciate his talents. He's certainly a name to remember.