Parker Markel Stats & Scouting Report

IP	25
ERA	6.84
WHIP	1.96
BB/9	7.92
SO/9	9.72

Full name Parker Michael Markel
Born 09/15/1990 in Newport Beach, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 240 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Yavapai JC
Debut 05/12/2019
Drafted in the 39th round (1,181st overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010.

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Righthander Markel can run his fastball up to 93 mph, but he's a guy who doesn't have a clean delivery and profiles as a middle reliever.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

It was a tale of two seasons for Markel in 2012. He went 1-4, 6.17 in his first nine starts in low Class A, before his nasty changeup keyed a 10-1, 2.44 run in his final 15 outings. He continues to impress with his fastball, which ranges from 91-97 mph with sink and armside run. He maintains his arm speed on his deceptive changeup, which resides in the low 80s and has solid fade. He also throws a slider that's inconsistent but shows flashes of becoming a solid pitch. Maintaining his release point with his low three-quarters delivery has been Markel's biggest problem, and his short stride contributes to his inconsistency. He's an average athlete with a big frame, and the Rays moved him to the rotation in hopes of getting his mechanics ironed out with more innings. The scouting report on Markel as an amateur was that he had arm strength but lacked a clean arm action and profiled as a reliever, and he still may be better suited for the bullpen at the major league level unless he can improve his slider and command. Markel will remain in the rotation for now and head to high Class A.
A 39th-round pick in 2010 who signed for $75,000, Markel has some of the best arm strength in the system. A reliever at Yavapai (Ariz.) JC and in his pro debut, he moved into the rotation last summer at short-season Hudson Valley and didn't allow an earned run in his first 292⁄3 innings. Markel's fastball ranges from 92-97 mph with heavy sink and armside run, though it moves so much that he has trouble commanding it. He throws an 81-84 mph changeup with fade and deceptive arm speed, and he trusts that pitch more than his breaking stuff. His 82-86 mph slider is a plus pitch at times, as is his curveball with good depth. Markel's doesn't maintain his low three-quarters delivery, leading to a wandering arm slot and intermittent command. He also doesn't stride much or get over his front side well, and his velocity tends to decrease over the course of a game. Most scouts believe those flaws will lead Markel back to the bullpen, but the Rays are intrigued by his repertoire and will keep him as a starter for now. Though raw, he has tremendous upside in either role. He'll open 2012 in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

A reliever at Yavapai (Ariz.) JC, Markel impressed in a starting role at Hudson Valley, not allowing an earned run in his first 29 2/3 innings with the Renegades. Scouts harbored concerns about Markel's mechanics in the past, but he made some progress this year staying on a better line to home plate, which helped his arm speed. He generally worked at 92-96 mph with heavy sink and armside run on his fastball, reaching 98 early in games. Markel's fastball has so much life that he sometimes struggles to command it, and he also needs to repeat his delivery more consistently. His 82-86 mph slider is a plus pitch at times but he seldom used it in his pro debut, relying more on a changeup with sink and fade. "He would cut his changeup at times so it would move like his slider," Hudson Valley manager Jared Sandberg said. "He'll throw it to righties and lefties, he repeats it well, and it works off the same plane as his fastball. He definitely does have the ability to spin a slider, but the changeup was a better pitch, so he's got more confidence in it."