From Staff Reports

Thompson High School graduate Josh Parker was recently assigned to the AAA baseball club Durham Bulls.

Parker, a 6-foot-5 righthander, was called up to the Durham, N.C. team in late July when pitcher Chad Gaudin was placed on the disabled list.

Parker had spent most of the 2004 season as a closer for the AA Montgomery Biscuits, where he led the team with 19 saves. He compiled an 0-2 record with a 3.94 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 48 innings of work for Montgomery.

In June, he was named to the Western Division Southern League All-Star team.

Since being assigned to Durham, Parker has made three trips to the mound, giving up three hits and recording one strikeout in two complete innings of work.

Both the Montgomery Biscuits and the Durham Bulls are affiliates of the Major League Baseball franchise, Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Parker, a native of Calera, currently lives in Louisville, Ky., with his wife, Brooke, and

2-year-old daughter, Riley.

Parker was drafted by the Atlanta Braves out of high school but opted to attend college instead. After playing two years at Wallace-State at Hanceville, he was drafted in the 29th round and signed by the Devil Rays