- Full name Rhett Parrott
- Born
- Profile Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Add Parrott to the Cardinals' long list of pitching wounded in 2004. His shoulder bothered him almost from the outset of the season, and he made just seven Triple-A starts before he was shut down. He had arthroscopic surgery to clean out the shoulder and is expected to be ready for spring training. Parrott usually features an 89-91 mph fastball and an average changeup, but he didn't show his good stuff at all last year. He still hasn't settled on a breaking pitch, throwing both a slider and curveball that are consistent. The best part of Parrott's package is his approach and mental toughness, and St. Louis believes that will allow him to come back from his injury relatively quickly. He'll need to refine his command, and will probably open the season in the Triple-A rotation to prove he's healthy. He's almost ready for a spot on the big league staff. -
Parrott built on his breakout 2002 season by getting to Triple-A in 2003, though it wasn't easy. He was called up on short notice at the end of July when Tennesee was on the road, so he spent a night in a Chicago airport and met Memphis in Omaha for a noon game the next day. Using all borrowed equipment, he gave up one run in five innings. The Cardinals like that story as an illustration of Parrott's mental toughness and thirst for competition. His stuff is also pretty good, with a fastball that registers 88-91 mph and an improving changeup. Parrott has struggled to develop a reliable breaking pitch. He threw a slider in college, abandoned it for a curveball as a pro and went back to it in 2003. It was an out pitch at times but still isn't consistent. His fastball command also took a step back, as he got quick to the plate and dropped his arm slot at times. Parrott will return to Triple-A to smooth out his remaining rough spots. He should make his big league debut in 2004 and profiles as a middle-of-the-rotation starter. -
Like Shaun Boyd, Parrott had gotten attention more for his promise than performance before last year. He had a disappointing career at Georgia Tech and a mediocre debut but put together a strong season in 2002, making the Carolina League all-star team before earning a promotion to New Haven. Parrott is a smart pitcher with great makeup and an aggressive, competitive approach. He isn't afraid to pitch inside and works to both sides of the plate. His fastball sits at 88-91 mph, and his curveball started to come on last year. His changeup is improving. Parrott had a good slider in college but hasn't used it much as a pro. Parrott must work ahead in the count to be successful. A mechanical adjustment after the 2001 season helped his command, and he'll have to continue to work on it to get better hitters out. Already someone who competes hard, Parrott seemed to work even harder after getting promoted to Double-A. He'll return to that level to open the season (at the Cardinals' new Tennessee affiliate) and see if he can earn another midseason promotion. -
Parrott was drafted off his performance in the Cape Cod League in 2000 and his potential, as he never put up the numbers at Georgia Tech to match expectations for him. That trend continued in his pro debut, as he posted mediocre statistics but showed enough to make the Cardinals optimistic about his future. He already has drawn comparisons to Matt Morris and Brad Radke, but that's a bit premature. Parrott has a nice frame and a fastball that reaches 92-94 mph with good life. He threw a slider through most of his college career but abandoned it last year in favor of a curveball that St. Louis officials say is one of the better ones in the organization. The slider is also a potentially above-average pitch if he goes back to it. Parrott needs to work on his approach to pitching and his command, which did improve after Cardinals coaches tweaked his mechanics. He gave up just four walks while striking out 25 in his last three starts, covering 15 innings. He'll begin this year at one of the organization's Class A affiliates.
Minor League Top Prospects
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It's not so much Parrott's pitches, but how he uses them that makes him one of the Cardinals' fastest-rising prospects. "He's a smart pitcher," Lynchburg manager Pete Mackanin said, "and it looks like he knows how to pitch under control." Parrott was named to the midseason all-star team and earned a promotion to Double-A after quickly dispelling any questions about his control. After working with Cardinals instructors Bill Campbell and Mark Riggins during instructional league, Parrott straightened out a flaw in his delivery and did nothing but throw strikes. He went after hitters with a two-seam fastball in the low 90s and showcased solid command of three other pitches: a four-seamer, a curveball and a changeup.