Biography
Mitchell James Parker (born September 27, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Amateur
Parker grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and attended Manzano High School. Parker was selected in the 28th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago Cubs, but opted not to sign with the team.
Parker played junior college baseball at San Jacinto College. He posted a 6–0 record with 111 strikeouts and a 1.54 ERA in 64+1⁄3 innings over 13 starts in his freshman season. Parker was selected in the 27th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, but decided to return to San Jacinto for a second season. In his sophomore season, Parker went 5–0 with a 1.19 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 30+1⁄3 innings pitched over six starts before the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Professional career
The Washington Nationals selected Parker in the fifth round of the 2020 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the team on June 23, 2020, and received a $100,000 signing bonus. Parker was assigned to the Fredericksburg Nationals of Low-A East to start the 2021 season. He was promoted to the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks on July 13, 2021, after going 3–7 with a 4.08 ERA and 85 strikeouts over 57+1⁄3 innings pitched with Fredericksburg. Parker finished the season with a 4–12 record and a 4.87 ERA with 144 strikeouts in 101+2⁄3 innings pitched.
On November 14, 2023, the Nationals added Parker to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He was optioned to the Triple–A Rochester Red Wings to begin the 2024 season. On April 15, 2024, the Nationals promoted Parker to the major leagues for the first time, optioning Amos Willingham to Triple-A to making room for the former on the active roster. Parker was named the starting pitcher against the Dodgers on Jackie Robinson Day in his debut. He logged 5 innings, three strikeouts, and recorded the win. In his second-career outing, Parker started a home game against the Astros. He pitched for 7 innings, recorded 8 strikeouts, and did not let up a single run.
Personal life
Mitchell Parker married Hayleigh Patterson on January 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.