DREW PARRISH NAMED TEXAS LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK

SPRINGDALE, Ark – Minor League Baseball announced the Pitcher and Player of the Week honors for each of the respective Player Development Leagues and Naturals’ left-hander Drew Parrish was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week for his performance the week of May 9 through May 15. Parrish has now claimed the league’s Pitcher of the Week award back-to-back weeks, previously being honored with the award for the week of May 2 to May 8. It is the third straight week a Naturals player has been recognized with a weekly award, after second baseman Michael Massey was named the league’s Player of the Week for the week of April 25 to May 1.

For the second straight week, the native of Rockledge, Florida threw 7.0 scoreless innings, this time against the Wichita Wind Surge on Friday, May 13th. Parrish held Wichita to just three hits without walking a batter, while tying a career-high with nine strikeouts. Between the second and sixth innings, the southpaw retired 13 straight batters, retiring the side 1-2-3 in the first inning, as well as the third through sixth. After a leadoff single in the seventh inning, he struck out the next three he faced to end the outing, tying a career-high with 91 pitches thrown as well.

Selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 8th Round of the 2019 Draft out of Florida State University, Parrish is 4-1 this season with a 2.13 ERA (9 ER in 38.0 IP) across seven starts this season, with 33 strikeouts. Among qualified Texas League pitchers, he has the lowest ERA and WHIP (0.76), while ranking second in opponents’ batting average (.158). Parrish also ranks second in the league in innings pitched and tied for ninth in strikeouts.

It is the 33rd time in franchise history that a Naturals’ pitcher has won the Pitcher of the Week award and just the second time a Naturals pitcher has claimed the league’s award twice in the same season, the last being when Blake Wood did so the weeks of June 2, 2008 and August 25, 2008. Also named the League’s Pitcher of the Week on August 29, 2021, Parrish is the only Naturals pitcher to receive the honor three times in their career.

Chandler Redmond of the Springfield Cardinals (Double-A, St. Louis Cardinals) was the Texas League’s Player of the Week, hitting .450 (9-for-20) in a series against Amarillo, with one double and three home runs, nine runs batted in and a 1.450 OPS.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information, including ticket options, promotions, groups, visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.