Photo by Jordan Megenhardt

By Josh Greene

Blessed with one of the deepest farm systems in the Minors, especially on the mound, the D-backs will get their first look at one piece of their potential future Tuesday with the debut of pitcher Jarrod Parker.

The 22-year-old right-hander’s contract was selected from Double-A Mobile on Sept. 16, where he went 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA (55 earned runs in 130.2 innings), 55 walks and 112 strikeouts in 26 games this season – his first full campaign since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2009.

“This is what I’ve worked for, and it’s every baseball player’s dream,” Parker said about his Major League debut, “I won the Southern League championship with our team and then I come up here and have a chance with this team. I left a team that was really team-oriented to go join another one. It’s just awesome.”

Keeping loose with bullpen sessions since his arrival in the Valley, the reality of the situation sunk in for the ninth overall pick of the 2007 First Year Player Draft when he first entered the D-backs clubhouse.

“The initial thing I did was look up and see my name above my locker,” he said. “That meant it’s really happening. It set in that I was here. I know a lot of these guys already, and it was good to meet the new ones. I couldn’t ask to join a better team. The camaraderie is awesome.”

Although he won’t be eligible to pitch in the postseason, Parker is grateful to get a chance to show off what’s made him Baseball America’s top D-backs prospect for three consecutive years.

“It’s everybody’s goal in the organization to work hard and be up at this level,” Parker said, “and now I’ve got that opportunity.”

For tickets to Parker’s debut, CLICK HERE.