It’s amazing how things can change in the course of a season.
The first month of right-handed tommy parsonsThe 2022 campaign was arguably the lowest point of his professional career. But as the minor league schedule draws to a close, the 27-year-old St. Louis Cardinals prospect has made big strides and seems closer than ever to receiving a major league shot.
Parsons, who starred at Division III Adrian College and signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in the 2018 draft, pitched very well in his first two seasons as a pro. But after missing a year of game action in 2020 (he spent some time at the Cardinals’ alternate training site in Springfield), he struggled hard in Triple-A Memphis last year. Parsons had a solid 2.92 strikeout-to-walk ratio, but his 5.86 ERA and .292 opponent batting average over 73 2/3 innings were quite concerning. Entering 2022, his career seemed to be at a crossroads.
Parsons began the season in Memphis, working out of the bullpen and often pitching in one- or two-inning bursts despite being a starter for most of his career. He didn’t do much to help his cause in April, posting an 8.18 ERA with an opponent’s .954 OPS in 11 innings of relief. However, since the calendar changed to May, Parsons has seen himself as a different pitcher.
In 113 2/3 innings since May 1, Parsons has held opposing hitters to a .194/.277/.396 slash line. He joined the Redbirds’ rotation in June and has seemed more comfortable there. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander has been in his prime over the last month of the season, pitching to a 1.02 ERA with an opponent batting average of .159, 18 strikeouts and five walks at 17.2. entries in three openings in September.
While Parsons’ 4.19 ERA may not fully confirm it, he has arguably been Memphis’ most reliable pitcher this year and has solid numbers, at least in the context of him being a contact pitcher, mostly. from the outlying categories: a 1.15 WHIP, .200 batting average, 100 strikeouts and 52 walks in 124 2/3 innings. For all he’s worth in 2022, he’s also second in the International League with 11 wins. Had he not allowed 26 home runs, the second most of any pitcher in the IL, his ERA would look substantially better and his season would almost certainly be more widely discussed as one of the best by any pitcher in the system.
As much as Parsons has already beaten the odds to be where he is now, he still faces an uphill climb to carve out a substantial major league career. He’s relatively old for a player with no major league experience, he doesn’t have superior speed and he doesn’t miss many bats. However, the Cardinals have been more willing than most organizations to give opportunities to pitchers with that type of profile, so Parsons appears to be in a good spot.
With time running out on the 2022 season and Parsons not yet on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster, his odds of making his major league debut this year are pretty slim. But he put himself in a good position to compete for a major league berth in 2023.
Source: www.ballysports.com