Local Purvis standout Jacob Parker found himself on the national stage this week after earning a share of the MLB All-Star High School Home Run Derby title.
The Tornado slugger faced California’s Josiah Hartshorn at Globe Life Field in between rounds of the MLB Home Run Derby.
“It was such a crazy atmosphere, and the adrenaline really pumped me up,” Parker told Pine Belt Sports. “It was great meeting all the MLB guys and just trying to gain some knowledge and pick their brains a little bit.”
The MLB's derby featured Pete Alonso, Alec Bohm, Adolis Garcia, Gunnar Henderson, Teoscar Hernández, Marcell Ozuna, Jose Ramirez and Bobby Witt Jr., who won the high school derby back in 2018.
The Mississippi State commit was one of eight top high school prospects in the country to compete in the event. Parker, who was recently named an All-American by MaxPreps, hit 24 home runs through the first two rounds of the derby on Saturday.
In the 60-second championship round, Hartshorn hit five home runs. Parker nearly came up short for the title, but on his final swing, he launched a long ball to tie Hartshorn, leading to the high school phenoms being named co-champions.
“The experience was amazing and was even cooler when I hit that last ball out,” Parker said.
While the duo posed with just one trophy on the field, a second will be made so they each have their own memento of the occasion.
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