With the eighth overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft, the Toronto Blue Jays secured a high-upside athlete in JoJo Parker, a shortstop/pitcher who dominated high school baseball in Mississippi. His selection adds elite youth and promise to Toronto’s minor league ranks.
Parker put Purvis High School on the national map. Standing at 6-foot-2, he delivered a senior season to remember, leading in multiple statistical categories and helping his school gain prominence.
A true offensive juggernaut, Parker posted a .489 batting average, hammered 13 home runs, collected 35 RBIs, and scored 64 times. His 30 steals displayed not just speed but smart situational awareness on the basepaths.
As a pitcher, he was equally commanding, posting an 8-2 record, 89 strikeouts, and a sharp 2.77 ERA. As the Blue Jays look to develop Parker, his two-way versatility may prove invaluable in shaping the team’s future.