Trade to Royals has Parraz on fast track

For some players, getting traded to the long-suffering Kansas City Royals is like getting handed a prison sentence. But for Jordan Parraz, it was like getting paroled.

The 25-year-old Parraz, a former Green Valley High School and College of Southern Nevada standout, never ascended higher than Single A in five seasons in the Astros organization after Houston drafted him in the third round in 2004.

But since the 6-foot-3-inch, 216-pound outfielder was traded to the Royals as a player to be named for left-hander Tyler Lumsden in December 2008, Parraz has been on the fast track to the big leagues.

He hit .358 with seven home runs and 42 RBIs in 64 games at Double-A Northwest Arkansas last year and batted .298 in 13 games for Triple-A Omaha before his season was cut short by two pulled hamstrings.

"The best thing for me was to get traded," Parraz said Saturday before helping Omaha to a 15-1 win over the 51s at Cashman Field. "I was happy over there (with Houston), but I felt they should've pushed me a little bit faster.

"I was kind of confused by it. It never really quite worked out for me."

Parraz, who is on Kansas City's 40-man roster, has struggled with Omaha this season, batting .216 (25-for-116) with two homers and 15 RBIs in 32 games.

But a return to his hometown might be just what he needs to get going. With a vocal group of family and friends supporting him at Cashman, Parraz drilled three doubles and finished 4-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs, raising his average 25 points.

Before the game, Royals manager Mike Jirschele said the right-handed hitting Parraz probably just needed a game or two like that to get locked in at the plate.

"You know the hitting's in there. It's just a matter of time before he gets going here," Jirschele said. "He's a good kid who plays hard at all times. He's athletic, he's got an above-average arm, and he covers ground in the outfield.

"He just needs to learn how to play the game at this level right now."

Parraz said he simply was off his game in April, when he endured a 2-for-38 stretch and finished the month with a .156 average.

"That was probably the worst month I've ever had in pro ball. It was, by far, the worst start I've ever had," he said. "This season has been a little up and down so far, but I'm starting to get back up to where I should be. I'm starting to feel pretty good."

Batting seventh as Omaha's designated hitter, Parraz led off the second inning with a double and scored, ripping the first pitch he saw from 51s left-hander Brad Mills into left field to ignite a four-run uprising by the Royals.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.