The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that they have claimed right-handed pitcher Parker Markel off waivers from the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. He has been optioned to Indianapolis. To make room on the 40-man roster, Rookie Davis has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.
The Pirates have claimed RHP Parker Markel off waivers from the Seattle Mariners and have optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis.
To make room on the 40-man roster, Rookie Davis has been transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 27, 2019
Markel is 28 years old (turns 29 in mid-September) and has been playing pro ball since he was drafted in 2010. He made his big league debut back in May. Over five relief appearances, he allowed nine runs on ten hits and four walks in 4.2 innings. In Triple-A this year, pitching in one of the worst parks for pitchers, he posted a 2.60 ERA in 27.2 innings, with 44 strikeouts and a 1.23 WHIP. He also threw 7.2 shutout innings in Double-A. Markel is just a year removed from pitching independent ball.
He was once a top prospect in the New York-Penn League, ranking third in the league according to Baseball America after the 2011 season. He had a rough 2012 season, then never appeared on the top 30 prospects list for the Tampa Bay Rays after that season. Back then he was hitting 97 MPH as a starter, with a deceptive changeup and a slider that needed work. In his brief time in the majors, his fastball averaged nearly 96 MPH and he relied heavily on his slider.
