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Jarrod Parker

Jarrod Parker (born November 24, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the . A right-handed starter drafted ninth overall by the Diamondbacks in the 2007 MLB Draft out of Norwell High School in Ossian, Indiana, Parker made his MLB debut with Arizona on September 27, 2011, appearing in one game that season. On December 9, 2011, he was traded to the Athletics along with reliever Ryan Cook and outfielder in exchange for pitchers and and cash considerations. Parker's most productive years came with Oakland in 2012 and 2013, when he established himself as a reliable mid-rotation starter, posting a 13–8 record with a 3.47 , 181.1 , and 140 strikeouts in 2012, followed by a 12–8 mark with a 3.97 , 197 , and 134 strikeouts in 2013. Over his full MLB career spanning 2011 to 2013, he appeared in 62 games (all starts), compiling a 25–16 record, 3.68 , 384 , and 275 strikeouts while contributing to the ' postseason runs in 2012 and 2013. However, Parker's career was significantly hampered by recurring injuries, beginning with his first surgery in October 2009 during his tenure with . He underwent a second procedure in March 2014 after tearing his , followed by a in his during that sidelined him for the entire 2014 season and prevented any MLB appearances in 2015. In March 2016, Parker faced a potential third surgery after another injury during spring training, which ultimately derailed any further comeback attempts. On February 13, 2018, at the age of 29, Parker announced his retirement from , citing the cumulative toll of his arm injuries after attempting and returns. Post-retirement, he opened Parker Sports Performance in Nashville in 2019, focusing on and training services for athletes.

Early life and amateur career

Early life

Jarrod Parker was born on November 24, 1988, in . He was raised by his parents, Brent and Ranelle Parker, alongside his younger brother Justin, in the Fort Wayne area during his early years. Parker's family later resided in , , where he spent much of his formative years. From a young age, Parker displayed a strong interest in , participating in local youth leagues and travel teams around Fort Wayne, including early involvement noted by community observers as early as 2001. This initial exposure to the sport in the Fort Wayne area laid the foundation for his development before transitioning to high school athletics at Norwell High School in .

High school career

Jarrod Parker attended Norwell High School in , , where he developed into a standout before graduating in 2007. During his junior season, he dominated local competition with a 7-0 record, a 0.20 ERA, and 68 strikeouts over 34 innings, showcasing his ability to overpower hitters. As a senior, Parker elevated his performance further, going 12-0 with two saves, a 0.10 ERA, 116 strikeouts, and just 11 walks in 70 innings while allowing only 23 hits; his efforts helped Norwell win the Indiana Class 3A state championship. He also hit .530 with 52 and 43 runs scored that year. In 2006, Parker pitched for the 18U National Team, helping the squad win a at the World Junior Baseball Championship in . Parker's high school achievements earned him numerous accolades, including the Indiana Mr. Baseball award, Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year, Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Player of the Year, and Louisville Slugger State High School Baseball Player of the Year in 2007. He was also named to the 2007 ABCA/Rawlings High School All-America First Team as a pitcher. In Indiana high school rankings, Parker was rated the No. 1 prospect by Perfect Game USA. Scouts praised Parker's exceptional arm action and , which reached 96 , noting his quick arm generated power despite his 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame and describing it as the best among high school pitchers in the country. These attributes positioned him as a top national prospect, leading to forgo college and enter the 2007 MLB Draft directly from high school.

Professional career

Draft and minor leagues

Parker was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the ninth overall pick in the first round of the out of Norwell High School in , . The team signed him to a minor league contract on August 15, 2007, which included a $2.1 million . Parker made his professional debut in 2008 with the Low-A South Bend SilverHawks of the , where he posted a 12–5 win–loss record with a 3.44 () and 117 strikeouts over 117⅔ in 24 starts. He began the 2009 season with the High-A of the , recording a 1–0 mark and 0.95 with 21 strikeouts in 19 across four starts before earning a promotion in late to the Double-A BayBears of the Southern League. At Mobile, he went 4–6 with a 3.68 and 74 strikeouts in 78⅓ over 16 starts. However, recurring elbow pain forced him to undergo his first Tommy John surgery on October 28, 2009, performed by Dr. James Andrews, causing him to miss the entire 2010 season during rehabilitation. Parker returned to the mound in 2011, spending the full season with the Double-A Mobile BayBears, where he achieved an 11–8 record, 3.79 ERA, and 112 strikeouts in 130⅔ innings across 26 starts. His consistent performance and rapid progression through the system, despite the injury setback, established him as one of the Diamondbacks' top pitching prospects and contributed to his involvement in a major trade on December 9, 2011, when sent him, along with Ryan Cook and , to the in exchange for , , and cash considerations, signaling his readiness for a full-time role.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Parker was called up to the Arizona Diamondbacks in September 2011 following a solid season in Double-A with the Mobile BayBears, where he recorded an 11-8 record with a 3.79 over 130.2 . As a highly regarded prospect, he was positioned to contribute to the Diamondbacks' rotation during the final weeks of the season, providing depth to a staff that had secured a playoff spot. Parker made his major league debut on September 27, 2011, starting against the at . In that game, he pitched 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out one batter on 73 pitches, contributing to a 7-6 extra-innings victory for Arizona but earning . Across his lone appearance in 2011, Parker finished with a 0-0 record, a 0.00 , and one in 5.2 innings, showcasing the potential that had made him the ninth overall pick in the 2007 MLB Draft. This brief stint highlighted his command and ability to induce ground balls, aligning with the Diamondbacks' needs for rotation stability heading into the postseason. On December 9, 2011, the Diamondbacks traded Parker, along with Ryan Cook and , to the in exchange for and reliever , plus cash considerations. From Arizona's perspective, the move aimed to bolster their immediate contention window in the NL West by acquiring an established mid-rotation starter in Cahill, who was under team control through , and a versatile left-handed reliever in Breslow, leveraging the organization's prospect depth including talents like and .

Oakland Athletics

Jarrod Parker joined the via trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks in December 2011, bolstering the team's starting rotation as a highly regarded young pitcher. Over his tenure with Oakland from 2012 to 2013, Parker established himself as a key contributor to the Athletics' contention in the , compiling a 25-16 record with a 3.68 across 61 starts and 378.1 . In 2012, Parker's rookie season with the marked a breakout performance, as he went 13-8 with a 3.47 in 29 starts, recording 140 strikeouts over 181.1 innings. His strong debut helped anchor Oakland's rotation during their surprising AL West title run, where the overcame a 13-game deficit in September to clinch the division. Parker finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting, reflecting his immediate impact. A highlight came on June 4, when he carried a into the eighth inning against the , striking out six before allowing a . Parker's 2013 campaign built on his prior success, as he posted a 12-8 record with a 3.97 in 32 starts, tallying 134 strikeouts in 197 innings. He achieved a franchise-record 19 consecutive starts without a loss from May 28 to September 22, tying for the third-longest such streak in the that year and contributing to Oakland's second straight AL West championship. In the postseason, Parker earned the win in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers, allowing three runs over 6.1 innings to help secure a 6-3 in the series-clinching game. Parker missed the entire 2014 season after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery in March 2014. His overall contributions during Oakland's contention years underscored his role as a reliable mid-rotation starter, with 274 career strikeouts and a 1.24 for the .

Injuries and retirement

Parker's professional career was significantly impacted by a series of elbow injuries beginning early in his tenure. Shortly after being drafted ninth overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2007, Parker progressed through the minors but suffered a torn () on July 30, 2009, while pitching for Double-A . He underwent his first Tommy John surgery on October 28, 2009, performed by Dr. James Andrews, which sidelined him for the remainder of 2009 and the entire 2010 season. Following his recovery and MLB debut in 2011, Parker enjoyed success as a starter for the after a midseason trade, posting strong seasons in 2012 and 2013 with a combined 61 starts and a 3.73 . However, persistent issues resurfaced, leading to a second tear that necessitated another procedure on March 24, 2014, again by Dr. Andrews. This surgery caused him to miss the entire 2014 season and initiated a prolonged process. Parker's comeback attempts in 2015 were derailed by further trauma to the same elbow. After 13 months of rehab from the second Tommy John, he made four minor league starts—beginning with Stockton Ports on April 23 and continuing to Double-A —before fracturing his medial epicondyle on May 8, 2015, during his fourth outing. Dr. Andrews repaired the on May 19, marking the third major elbow of his career and ending any chance of a 2015 return. Undeterred, Parker entered 2016 but refractured the medial epicondyle after just 12 pitches on March 10, requiring a fourth on April 1 by Dr. in . These successive fractures prevented any meaningful playing time, and he did not appear in the majors after 2013. After electing free agency on October 7, 2016, following an outright assignment to Triple-A, Parker did not pitch in 2017 as ongoing elbow complications persisted. On February 13, 2018, at age 29, he officially announced his , citing the cumulative toll of his injuries on his and the mental strain of repeated rehabilitations. In reflections shared with the , Parker expressed that while the surgeries brought "mental battles," there was "light at the end of the tunnel," and allowed him to "be a fan again" without the pressure of recovery. He later noted regrets over the abrupt end to what could have been a longer career, emphasizing how the injuries overshadowed his early promise but ultimately freed him to pursue new opportunities in health and rehabilitation.

Post-playing career

Coaching roles

Following his retirement from professional baseball, Parker engaged in informal coaching with amateur players, including assisting Oakland Athletics signee Nathan Patterson in 2019 by focusing on techniques to generate power and force in pitching. Parker began working with the Philadelphia Phillies in December 2023. On February 5, 2024, the Phillies hired him as the pitching coach for their rookie-level affiliate. In this role throughout the 2024 season, he contributed to the development of young pitchers within the organization's player development system. On February 7, 2025, Parker was promoted to pitching coach and assistant rehab pitching coordinator as part of the Phillies' player development staff. In this capacity, he works directly with prospects and rehabbing pitchers, applying insights from his playing career—particularly his experiences with injuries that led to his —to support mechanics, recovery, and efforts.

Business ventures

Following his retirement from professional baseball in 2018, Jarrod Parker founded Parker Sports Performance, a training facility located in . The business emphasizes athlete development through structured programs designed to prevent injuries, informed by Parker's own experiences with multiple elbow surgeries that ended his MLB career. The core focus of Parker Sports Performance includes customized training programs, educational resources on , and recovery services tailored for players at all levels. Services encompass coaching on pitching to improve efficiency and reduce strain, guidance on rehabilitation protocols for arm injuries such as Tommy John surgery, and performance enhancement techniques for both amateur athletes and professionals. For instance, has worked with aspiring MLB players on velocity and command drills at the facility. Parker's personal motivation for the venture stems from his career-derailing injuries, aiming to equip younger athletes with the knowledge and tools to sustain long-term careers and avoid similar setbacks.

Pitching style

Parker was a right-handed known for his four-pitch repertoire and ability to induce ground balls. His primary pitch was a sinking that averaged 91-95 and occasionally reached 97 , complemented by a around 92 . He also featured a slider in the low 80s with significant lateral break, effective against right-handed batters, and a averaging 81-82 with an 11-12 velocity differential from his , which generated high swing-and-miss rates particularly versus lefties. A around 69 was used sparingly for depth. Parker possessed an athletic delivery with a quick arm action that allowed him to generate despite his 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) frame, and he demonstrated good command and presence.

References

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