Lofty expectations, no burden for Glenwood baseball's Parker Detmers
Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed the round in which the Los Angeles Angels drafted Reid Detmers.
Parker Detmers doesn’t shy away from expectations thrust upon him.
Long before he committed last year to pitch at the University of Louisville, great things were expected from Detmers because of genetics. His father, Kris Detmers, was picked by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 22nd round of the 1993 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.
Add on top of that his older brother’s success in Major League Baseball — last season, Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers became the youngest player to throw a no-hitter since 2006 and has made 33 starts in three seasons for the Angels.
But none of that is unwanted pressure for Parker Detmers. Through last week, the Chatham Glenwood senior is 2-0 with 22 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings pitched for the Central State Eight Conference’s only 8-0 team (the Titans are 10-1 overall through Tuesday).
Detmers has yet to give up an earned run. He's walked four and allowed 10 hits.
“You always want to be in the spotlight if you’re playing so I like it,” Detmers said. “I want to have to prove every single game that I’m just as good as (Reid). I want to go out there every single game and pitch just as good as him.”
Path to great things
His choice of Louisville put him on the same path as his brother. Reid, The State Journal-Register's Large School Baseball Player of the Year in 2017, was the 10th pick of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Louisville.
His Glenwood teammates appreciate what Detmers brings.
“When Parker is on the mound, I have no doubt in my mind that he’s going to come out and get the win for us,” sophomore left fielder Mason Marshall said, adding that he’s much happier being Detmers’ teammate than an opponent.
“I’m really glad (he doesn’t have to face Parker).," he added. "We do live (batting practice) at the beginning of the year and I did not get a hit off him this year.”
After Detmers struck out 11 in a 4-1 win against Sacred Heart-Griffin on April 12, Glenwood catcher Griffin Graue said he heard frustration grow from several SHG batters.
“It’s actually kind of funny because a lot of them are pretty vocal about it,” Graue said. “They’re a rival because we know a lot of them and they’re just right across the town. So a lot of them, whenever he throws his curveball, (the SHG hitters say), ‘Man, that’s disgusting’ or whenever he throws his fastball, ‘How do I hit that?’
“It’s pretty nasty and they know it.”
Making pitching rough on others
Detmers doesn’t just give headaches to opposing hitters, he hasn’t taken it easy on other pitchers, either. Through Tuesday, Detmers is hitting .500 (12-for-24 with five doubles, a triple and three home runs). He has 11 RBIs and 15 runs scored with a .613 on-base percentage and a 1.166 slugging percentage.
But pitching is his future.
“We always like our chances with Parker on the mound,” Glenwood coach Casey Erickson said. “There’s 20 scouts in the stands for a reason: because he’s really good. (Detmers) is extremely focused and his preparation is well beyond his years. He wants the ball, he wants to be the guy. He’s got a great arm, he’s got great stuff, he works really hard. He’s one of the best high school pitchers.”
And Erickson knows Detmers hasn’t even approached his ceiling yet.
“He can get a lot better. He’s only going to get a lot better,” Erickson said. “He's a student of the game, he studies himself, he’s his biggest critic and when things aren’t going right for him with a specific pitch, he works on it.”
Detmers has three pitches: a four-seam fastball, a curveball and a changeup.
“I feel like in a couple of years, I’ll add a slider if I really need to,” he said.
Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Chatham Glenwood's Parker Detmers rises to meet lofty expectations
