When Jason Parker was going into his senior year at West Craven High near New Bern, N.C., college baseball was not in his plans.
He was a decent-hitting center fielder with a .341 batting average, although he flatly admits he didn’t enjoy standing in the batter’s box against hard-throwing pitchers. He also closed for West Craven, but at 165 pounds and throwing in the low-to-mid 80s, he did not fit the profile of a college pitching prospect. For that matter, he wasn’t consistent enough to be a starter.
“I started a few times in high school, but I walked too many people,” Parker noted. “… I wasn’t good enough to start. I didn’t have a good enough arsenal like a curveball and changeup to be a starter.”
So Parker planned to go to East Carolina as a regular college student. He was accepted to the school and everything was lined up for a future in Greenville. But a few times a year he would dial back and unleash a fastball that touched 87 miles per hour, and that itch to keep playing was there.
He asked West Craven head coach Michael McKeel if he could help out. McKeel got in touch with Louisburg (N.C.) College and convinced the junior college to watch Parker close out a playoff game. That started a journey that three years later sees Parker starting on Fridays in the ACC — for NC State, the team that Parker loved while growing up.
Parker was born to bleed Wolfpack red. His grandfather, Dr. Roger Warren, is an NCSU alum and is part of the stats crew for football games. All of his children, including Parker’s mom Jan, went to NC State. His father “was kind of persuaded when he got married” to join the family’s rooting interest.
Parker’s grandparents are season-ticket holders in football, basketball and baseball. Ask Parker for his favorite Wolfpack moment, and he can almost flawlessly recall quarterback Mike Glennon’s three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bryan Underwood on fourth down in the final seconds of the Pack’s 2012 upset win over No. 3 Florida State.
“My freshman year at Louisburg, me and a couple of the guys came to one of the games when they played Miami here,” Parker recalled. “It was kind of funny, we were sitting in the stands and I remembered saying to them, it would be pretty cool to play here one day, but I was just joking around with them. I didn’t think I would actually be able to play here.
“Now I’m starting on Friday nights, it’s kind of surreal. But then again I’ve worked really hard to be in this position.”
It started with physical maturity. Part of the reason why Parker wanted to continue trying baseball was because he knew that if he could occasionally get above the mid-80s at 165 pounds, he would be able to add more velocity if he filled out.
Indeed, within a year at Louisburg he had gained 15 pounds and his pitches were being clocked at 88-90 miles per hour.
“I actually started to learn how to pitch at Louisburg,” Parker added. “In high school, I didn’t know how to pitch, it was more like I just threw. I didn’t pitch.”
During his sophomore year, NC State assistant coach Chris Hart watched Parker pitch against Campbell in an exhibition. A visit was set up, and an offer was made.
“I’ve always had love for this school, but I never went on campus and got to experience it,” Parker said. “When I came on my visit and talked to Coach [Elliott] Avent and Coach Hart and got to visit everywhere, I fell in love with it instantly.”
He had other options. NC State was one of seven offers, but the chance to play at his dream school was too much to pass up. He came in with no expectations other than to work as hard as he could and let “whatever happens happen.”
What happened was three days before the 2019 season opener against Bucknell, first-year pitching coach Clint Chrysler called Parker to let him know he was starting it. Parker was not nervous. He had started Friday games for Louisburg before.
But that began to change pregame.
“I was pretty fine until I actually started warming up inside to get ready for the game, and I started throwing in the outfield,” Parker remembered. “I’ve always watched Division I baseball, but didn’t know exactly what to expect on game day.
“I had a lot of nerves, but when I got on the mound for the first pitch it all went away. I got back in the elements and I felt normal.”
He pitched five innings that game, allowing one earned run on four hits, striking out four and walking no one. Parker credits Chrysler with helping him develop an aggressive mentality on the mound and adding consistency to his changeup to give him a three-pitch mix.
Parker has maintained his role throughout the year. He’s the only Pack pitcher to start every game he has appeared in (13) and he has compiled a 4-2 record with a 4.06 earned run average over 64 1/3 innings. He is third on the team lead with 55 strikeouts.
His hard work is paying off, and much like his Wolfpack fandom, that work ethic may be genetically related.
Parker’s mother passed away from cancer in April 2012 when he was in middle school. Her obituary noted that “she was a passionate NC State fan and enjoyed attending as many of the Wolfpack games as possible.”
“I do it for myself, but I also do it for her,” Parker said. “She definitely taught me growing up about hard work and being the best version of myself that I can be. I really try to use that every day to be the best version of myself out here [in baseball] and school.”
It’s safe to say that Mom would be proud watching her son take the mound for her beloved Wolfpack this past Mother’s Day weekend.
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