Mitchell, Parker Earn All-ACC Accolades

May 19, 2008

Junior righthander D.J. Mitchell and freshman utility player Kyle Parker were both named First-Team All-ACC in 2008. The team was compiled by a vote of the 12 ACC head coaches.

Mitchell has a 6-4 record and 3.11 ERA in 13 starts and six relief appearances. In 92.2 innings pitched, he has allowed 89 hits (.254 opponents’ batting average) and 37 walks with 95 strikeouts. He has also allowed just 16 extra-base hits, including only four home runs.

Mitchell, who did not even pitch in a game at Clemson until his sophomore season in 2007, leads the ACC in innings pitched and strikeouts.

Parker, who should be in his senior year of high school after graduating from Bartram Trail High School in Jacksonville, FL a semester early, was one of only two freshmen to earn first-team honors, joining ACC Freshman-of-the-Year Chris Hernandez, a lefthander from Miami (FL).

Parker is one of the nation’s highest-rated quarterbacks who signed to play football at Clemson. In 2008, he is hitting .310 with 12 doubles, 14 homers, 49 RBIs, and a .405 on-base percentage in 54 games (52 starts).

He excelled against ACC competition as well. In 29 ACC regular-season games, Parker hit .336 with six doubles, 10 homers, 34 RBIs, and a .441 on-base percentage. He tied for second in homers, was second in RBIs, and was fifth in slugging percentage (.673) in ACC regular-season games among all players.