Braves want top pick Parker for Teixeira

SI.com's Jon Heyman reported about three hours ago in his MLB trade report blog that the Atlanta Braves are asking for one of the Arizona Diamondbacks' top pitching prospects - Max Scherzer or Jarrod Parker - in a trade for first baseman Mark Teixeira.

The Diamondbacks and Braves are still said to be "apart'' in talks involving Mark Teixeira. Arizona is telling Atlanta it won't include either of its top two pitching prospects -- Max Scherzer or Jarrod Parker -- in a deal with first baseman Chad Tracy, whom they've already offered to Atlanta as part of a different package.

The Diamondbacks would be nuts to trade Parker, the No. 9 overall pick in 2007. Perhaps I'm biased because Parker is a local kid (Norwell High School) who I got to cover in high school. The 19-year-old is pitching in the Class Low-A Midwest League, so as the Fort Wayne Wizards beat writer, I've kept my eye on him.

Parker's got electric stuff. His fastball is clocked in the mid 90s. He's also got a slider and changeup working for him. Parker is only a year out of high school and has only scratched the surface of his potential. I spoke with Arizona's director of minor league operations A.J. Hinch back in May and he was quite high on Parker.

If you don't know much about Parker, here is a feature I wrote about him and here are his stats.

This foolishness of this trade can surmised thusly: Moving a sky-is-the-limit 19-year-old pitcher for a two or three month rental of a first baseman (Teixeira is due to hit the free agent market after this season and his agent Scott Boras will likely want to cash in) is simply not a smart move.