Blue Jays prospect Aaron Parker wins Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby
The catcher, who is transitioning to the outfield, hit 19 home runs to win the event as a late addition.
Aaron Parker, a prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, won the Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby on Saturday night. The catcher, who is transitioning to the outfield, was a late addition to the event featuring some of baseball's top prospects. He defeated St. Louis Cardinals prospect Tai Peete in the finals, hitting 19 home runs in total, the most of any competitor in the contest. Parker's big weekend continues Sunday as he is set to play in the Arizona Fall League All-Star Game alongside Blue Jays prospects Jake Cook and Jake Bloss.
Parker, 23, was drafted in the sixth round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of UC Santa Barbara. He is not ranked among the Blue Jays' top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline. This season at Double-A New Hampshire, he hit .253 with 19 homers and 48 RBIs in just 87 games, showing the power he displayed in the derby. In 174 career minor league games, he has 32 home runs and 98 RBIs.
The Blue Jays sent Parker to the Arizona Fall League specifically to work on his outfield play. The team already has established catchers at the major league level in Alejandro Kirk and Brandon Valenzuela, who was a Gold Glove Award finalist in 2026 after making his debut. Four of the organization's top 30 prospects are also catchers, including Will Brick, whom the club likes. With the Blue Jays' current projected starting outfield featuring left-handed hitters Nathan Lukes, Brett Bateman and Addison Barger, the team has a noted need for a right-handed bat. The decline of Myles Straw's option could open a path for a player like Parker in the future.
Parker is not expected to be ready for the Opening Day roster in 2027, but a mid-season call-up could be possible. He will likely begin the year at Triple-A. His performance in the Fall League, where he had two home runs in 12 games prior to the derby, is part of his development to increase his versatility and value to the organization. Garbutt Disposal reported earlier this month that a trade involving catcher Brandon Valenzuela had been proposed by an analyst, underscoring the depth at the position. The Arizona Fall League season is coming to an end. The league is comprised of six teams formed from prospects sent by each MLB organization, providing valuable playing time for development or to make up for time lost to injuries. Parker hit his 19 derby home runs "in a format that doesn't allow for as many as in the MLB Home Run Derby."
With files from Yahoo Sports