OAKLAND, CA: The Washington Nationals are calling up No. 8 pitching prospect, No. 21 overall, Mitchell Parker to the big league club. Parker will meet the club in Los Angeles where he will make his first start against the Dodgers. Grant Paulsen of 106.7 FM Radio was first on the report with manager Davey Martinez confirming.
The 24-year old was the Nationals fifth round pitch in the 2020 draft and was added to the club’s 40-man roster last November, avoiding the Rule-5 draft.
The southpaw spent time between AA Harrisburg and AAA Rochester in 2023, where he pitched to a combined 4.72 ERA. Thus far in 2024, Parker has pitched just 4.0 innings, staying put at a 0.00 ERA.
Parker was a clearer option for the Nationals when young star pitcher Josiah Gray was put on the IL not too long ago. The District has a core of young stars in the making. Although a tall task, Parker could be added to that core.
Some evaluations on Parker believe that he will ultimately be used out of the bullpen and could be seen as a long reliever. Out of his 76 games in the minors, he has started 72 of them. It is without a doubt the Nationals will see what Parker has to offer as a starter. He’ll get that opportunity facing one of the most star-studded lineups in the form of the Los Angeles Dodgers.