April 2, 2015
Ian Parmley advanced to Dunedin during the 2014 season. (Scott Mapes / MiLB.com)
An important area for young baseball players to understand is their game and exactly what they have to do to reach their full potential in professional baseball. Thus is the case for Blue Jays outfield prospect Ian Parmley, who completed his third season in the organization climbing as high as advanced-A Dunedin by the end of the 2014 campaign.
Known for his excellent defense and above-average speed, Parmley is a grinder, known for giving long at-bats, while drawing walks, bunting for hits, and causing havoc on the base paths. These lost arts are what Parmley needs to do to be successful in professional baseball, as the Washington native has limited power in his bat, causing him to continually find ways to reach base and help his team manufacture runs.
Beginning his 2014 campaign with the Lansing Lugnuts, Parmley had a tough run to begin his season. He fought off multiple injuries and had to deal with limited action, as being named as the club’s fourth outfielder. Appearing in 41 contests for the Lugnuts, Parmley batted .209 with two doubles and nine RBIs. While those numbers don’t jump off the page, Parmley grinded out 20 walks and swiped 11 bases, all the while maintaining a .326 OBP.
Earning a late season promotion to the Florida State League, Parmley continued to display his strengths at the high-A level. The prospect batted .261 with three doubles and an RBI. Parmley continued to be tough on the base paths going 3-for-3 on steal attempts. Parmley registered seven more walks and maintained a .358 OBP in his 15 high-A contests.
Enjoying both opportunities presented to him in 2014, Parmley discusses what he enjoyed about his time in the Midwest League and the Florida State League. While there’s a slight talent jump between the two levels, Parmley feels its baseball and every aspect of the two leagues is just business as usual for him.
“What I really enjoyed about Lansing was how friendly the residents are,” stated Parmley. “We ran into a lot of people at the complex where we live and they’re all really nice and the fan support at the games is fantastic. The city really gets behind the Lugnuts, which just makes it a great place to play baseball.”
“I really loved playing in Dunedin,” he added. “The Florida State League has a great atmosphere for baseball and we played some really good ball there.”
“The difference between the Midwest League and the Florida State League is pitchers locate their pitches a lot better down there,” said Parmley. “Other than that the talent is very similar.”
Parmley has always had the ability to be a great base runner, but he feels his skills have continued to improve in the Blue Jays organization thanks to the help of Roving Outfield and Base Running Instructor Tim Raines.
“Raines has helped me a lot with my base running,” explained Parmley. “He’s one of the best runners of all time, so anytime he talks I make sure to listen. When he says something that I can use to improve my game, I’m going to use that information to my advantage.”
From a defensive standpoint, Parmley plays all three outfield positions. The 25-year old outfielder only committed one error on the season maintaining an excellent .989 fielding percentage between the three positions. The prospect also registered two outfield assists and was involved in one double play on the season.
Watch for Ian Parmley as he continues to put his skills on display with one of the Blue Jays minor league affiliates in 2015.