Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-man: Wes Parsons

Like Brendon Little, Wes Parsons is someone I forgot was on the Jays' 40-man roster until he pitched in a spring game last week.

Parsons is a 31-year-old right-handed pitcher who the Jays signed as a minor league free agent in May 2023.

Before that? Well he played independent league ball (he was undrafted) and then the Braves signed him in 2013. He worked his way to the MLB with the Braves, pitching in one game for them in 2018. He pitched in 17 games for them in 2019. Then he was DFAed and picked up by the Rockies on waivers. He got into 15 more game with them, in 2019. And that was the end of his MLB career until game 162 of the Blue Jays season last year when the Jays called him up to start their final game.

In between his time with the Rockies and joining the Jays, he pitched two seasons in

It was kind of unfair that they DFAed Jay Jackson (who had done a pretty good job for the Jays) just to have someone start game 162 (Jackson could have done the job).

Anyway, Parsons gave up 9 runs on 10 hits and 3 walks in four innings.

He survived the off-season without being dropped from the 40-man roster. If you had asked me in October if he would still be on the 40-man roster by March, I would have said, ‘Not a chance.’ So the Jays must think there is something there.

Before being called up for that last game, Parsons started 17 games for the Bisons (and one for Dunedin), with 4.55 ERA. In 85 innings he allowed 74 hits, 11 home runs, 46 walks, with 100 strikeouts.

Between his time with the Rockies and joining the Jays, he pitched two seasons in Korea, making 32 starts, posting a 3.68 ERA, 85 walks, and 191 strikeouts in 176 innings.

What does he throw? Brooks Baseball tells us:

Wes Parsons has thrown 2,385 pitches that have been tracked by the PITCHf/x system between 2018 and 2024, including pitches thrown in the MLB Regular Season and Spring Training. In 2024, they have relied primarily on their Fourseam Fastball (95mph), also mixing in a Curve (84mph), Sinker (94mph), Change (90mph) and Slider (86mph).

He’s a big guy, listed at 6’5” 206 and throws hard.

He has an option left. The Jays may have an open spot or two in the rotation, so they would have spots open in Buffalo, too. He could make it through spring training. But then, if the Jays want a non-roster player to make the team, Parsons would have to be near the top of the list to get DFAed. But then, they decided to DFA Otto Lopez instead of him, so who knows?

I’ll admit I admire guys like Parsons who continue to chase the major league dream into their 30s. It would be great if he made it. An undrafted player getting 43 innings in the majors is a victory. I hope he’ll get more.

PECOTA thinks that Parsons will make 3 MLB starts, 14.1 innings with a 4.90 ERA.

ZiPS (remember they don’t try to figure playing time) has 21 games, 15 starts, and a 4.97 ERA.

Steamer said 24 relief appearances, with a 3.92 ERA.