Justin Parker was named assistant baseball coach at UCF on July 18, 2016. He serves as the Knight's pitching coach. Prior to joining the Black & Gold, Parker spent six seasons on the staff at Wright State.
In his first season in Orlando, Parker's pitchers excelled on the mound, as freshman Joseph Sheridan and senior Robby Howell both won 10 games and finished tied for 13th in the country.
Under Parker in his first year, the pitching staff turned into one of the best in the nation, finishing 10th in WHIP (1.22), 24th in strikeouts-to-walks ratio (2.74), 28th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.9) and 52nd in walks per nine innings (3.26). The crowning achievement for Parker's players was the fifth best ERA in the nation at 3.0, extending his streak of season with a sub-4.0 team ERA to three.
Parker has consistently produced pitchers selected in the MLB Draft. Of his seven draft picks, three have gone in the first 10 rounds. In his first year at UCF, Parker sent four arms to the professional ranks.
Jason Bahr was a fifth round selection by the San Francisco Giants in 2017. He was followed by Robby Howell in the 10th round, who went to the Cincinnati Reds. Jordan Scheftz (23rd round, Cleveland Indians) and Andy Rohloff (37th round, San Francisco Giants) also heard their names called after one year under Parker.
Dating back to his days on staff at Wright State, Parker guided Jesse Scholtens to a ninth round selection by the San Diego Padres in 2016. Fellow Raider Robby Sexton was also tabbed in the 14th round by the Boston Red Sox in the same draft. His first player ever drafted was Andrew Elliott in the 30th round of the 2015 Draft to the Baltimore Orioles.
Parker’s ability to work with freshmen and veterans has been showcased in seven All-Americans selections. At UCF, Joseph Sheridan (College Baseball News and Perfect Game) was tabbed as a Freshman All-American, and Robby Howell earned Collegiate Baseball All-American status.
His Wright State pitching staff had five honorees in Scholtens (Third Team) and Caleb Sampen (Freshman) in 2016, Elliot (Third Team) and Sean Murphy (Freshman) in 2015 and Michael Schum (Second Team) in 2011.
In six seasons with the Raiders, Parker’s pitching staff helped Wright State to four Horizon League Championship Games, winning in 2015 and 2016.
The Raiders pitching staff enjoyed a great deal of success under Parker. In 2016, Wright State freshman pitcher Sampen was named Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, while senior ace Scholtens compiled a 10-1 record, which included the first perfect game in school history.
Parker’s pitchers guided Wright State to the Horizon League Championship in 2016. The Raiders posted a 46-17 record and ranked fifth in the country in walks per nine innings at 2.45, 33rd in ERA at 3.49 and 10th in WHIP at 1.2, all of which led the Horizon League. Scholtens finished the season 18th in wins (10), 70th in strikeouts (95) and 51st in walks allowed per nine innings.
The 2015 season finished with the Raiders leading the lead in virtually every pitching category, including ERA (3.54), strikeouts per nine innings (7.2), hits allowed per nine innings (8.84), shutouts (4) and WHIP (1.33). Luke Mamer came in 19th for fewest walks allowed per nine innings at 1.19. Elliot came out of the bullpen to record 11 saves, the 33rd most in the country.
The Raiders ranked in the top 100 in hits allowed per nine innings (8.64) and shutouts (4) in 2014, while Andrew Elliot posted 13 saves, good for 19th in the nation. In 2013, the Raiders averaged 7.5 strikeouts and 8.98 hits per game to rank 46th and 99th, respectively.
Schum highlighted Parker’s first two years with Wright State. In 2012, his 12 saves ranked 18th in Division I, following a 2011 campaign that saw him rank 13th in walks per nine innings (1.02), 47th in wins (9) and 58th in saves (9).
Following a professional career, Parker returned to coach his alma mater in 2011.
Parker was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 43rd round of the 2005 MLB June Amateur Draft from Fort Wayne HS (Fort Wayne, IN) but opted to play for Wright State University. He was drafted again, this time by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 6th round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft where he spent three years playing for the Diamondbacks minor league affiliates.
As a player at Wright State, Parker earned first-team Horizon League selections in 2007 and 2008, as well as second team ABCA All Region in 2007, and was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District recipient in 2008.
Parker graduated from Wright State with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership in 2012.
In his first season in Orlando, Parker's pitchers excelled on the mound, as freshman Joseph Sheridan and senior Robby Howell both won 10 games and finished tied for 13th in the country.
Under Parker in his first year, the pitching staff turned into one of the best in the nation, finishing 10th in WHIP (1.22), 24th in strikeouts-to-walks ratio (2.74), 28th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.9) and 52nd in walks per nine innings (3.26). The crowning achievement for Parker's players was the fifth best ERA in the nation at 3.0, extending his streak of season with a sub-4.0 team ERA to three.
Parker has consistently produced pitchers selected in the MLB Draft. Of his seven draft picks, three have gone in the first 10 rounds. In his first year at UCF, Parker sent four arms to the professional ranks.
Jason Bahr was a fifth round selection by the San Francisco Giants in 2017. He was followed by Robby Howell in the 10th round, who went to the Cincinnati Reds. Jordan Scheftz (23rd round, Cleveland Indians) and Andy Rohloff (37th round, San Francisco Giants) also heard their names called after one year under Parker.
Dating back to his days on staff at Wright State, Parker guided Jesse Scholtens to a ninth round selection by the San Diego Padres in 2016. Fellow Raider Robby Sexton was also tabbed in the 14th round by the Boston Red Sox in the same draft. His first player ever drafted was Andrew Elliott in the 30th round of the 2015 Draft to the Baltimore Orioles.
Parker’s ability to work with freshmen and veterans has been showcased in seven All-Americans selections. At UCF, Joseph Sheridan (College Baseball News and Perfect Game) was tabbed as a Freshman All-American, and Robby Howell earned Collegiate Baseball All-American status.
His Wright State pitching staff had five honorees in Scholtens (Third Team) and Caleb Sampen (Freshman) in 2016, Elliot (Third Team) and Sean Murphy (Freshman) in 2015 and Michael Schum (Second Team) in 2011.
In six seasons with the Raiders, Parker’s pitching staff helped Wright State to four Horizon League Championship Games, winning in 2015 and 2016.
The Raiders pitching staff enjoyed a great deal of success under Parker. In 2016, Wright State freshman pitcher Sampen was named Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, while senior ace Scholtens compiled a 10-1 record, which included the first perfect game in school history.
Parker’s pitchers guided Wright State to the Horizon League Championship in 2016. The Raiders posted a 46-17 record and ranked fifth in the country in walks per nine innings at 2.45, 33rd in ERA at 3.49 and 10th in WHIP at 1.2, all of which led the Horizon League. Scholtens finished the season 18th in wins (10), 70th in strikeouts (95) and 51st in walks allowed per nine innings.
The 2015 season finished with the Raiders leading the lead in virtually every pitching category, including ERA (3.54), strikeouts per nine innings (7.2), hits allowed per nine innings (8.84), shutouts (4) and WHIP (1.33). Luke Mamer came in 19th for fewest walks allowed per nine innings at 1.19. Elliot came out of the bullpen to record 11 saves, the 33rd most in the country.
The Raiders ranked in the top 100 in hits allowed per nine innings (8.64) and shutouts (4) in 2014, while Andrew Elliot posted 13 saves, good for 19th in the nation. In 2013, the Raiders averaged 7.5 strikeouts and 8.98 hits per game to rank 46th and 99th, respectively.
Schum highlighted Parker’s first two years with Wright State. In 2012, his 12 saves ranked 18th in Division I, following a 2011 campaign that saw him rank 13th in walks per nine innings (1.02), 47th in wins (9) and 58th in saves (9).
Following a professional career, Parker returned to coach his alma mater in 2011.
Parker was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 43rd round of the 2005 MLB June Amateur Draft from Fort Wayne HS (Fort Wayne, IN) but opted to play for Wright State University. He was drafted again, this time by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 6th round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft where he spent three years playing for the Diamondbacks minor league affiliates.
As a player at Wright State, Parker earned first-team Horizon League selections in 2007 and 2008, as well as second team ABCA All Region in 2007, and was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District recipient in 2008.
Parker graduated from Wright State with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership in 2012.