This article originally appeared in the February 12, 2014 special baseball issue of The Arkansas Traveler.
If you look at this year’s roster for the Arkansas baseball team, you’ll recognize several names from last season, such as Anderson and Spoon. You may also see some names from the Razorbacks’ 2012 College World Series team: Baxendale and Sanburn.
You aren’t crazy. D.J. and Nolan aren’t back with the Razorbacks after being drafted into Major League Baseball. Instead, it’s their younger brothers, Blake and Parker.
Blake Baxendale was on the team last year, but redshirted after having Tommy John surgery before the season, while Parker Sanburn is a true freshman.
Not only did they both follow in their older brothers’ footsteps to become Razorbacks, they also had similar relationships.
Growing up in Kokomo, Ind., Nolan and Parker would practice together and throw each other batting practice. While both of them were, or are, pitchers at Arkansas, they also played in the field and batted in high school.
During these batting practice sessions, they would practice getting hit by a pitch, as well as actual hitting. Parker said that both of them were afraid of the ball in high school, but after beaming each other for a while, they weren’t any more.
However, their mother didn’t see it as beneficial as they did.
“We’d show up with welts on our back and mom would say, ‘What did you do to him?’” Nolan said. “She wasn’t too thrilled about that.”
Eventually, Nolan developed into a college prospect and was initially going to play at Auburn, but a visit to Fayetteville changed his mind and he became a Razorback. At Arkansas, he posted a 2.96 ERA in two seasons, before being drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft.
A year later, Parker faced the same decision, as he also became a college prospect, but he said it was an easy decision.
“I looked at other schools,” Parker said, “but after playing with Nolan in high school, and then seeing him come here, get five times better and become a better man, that made me think I could do the same thing.”
D.J. and Blake played different positions, so they were a little more competitive. While Blake pitched some in high school, he gravitated to catcher and being a power hitter.
When they were both in high school, Blake would catch for D.J., but their most memorable moments were when Blake stepped into the box to face D.J. at the plate. D.J. said he remembers the battles being pretty even, but Blake remembers something else.
“I think I went 2-for-3 off of him,” Blake said. “I’m never letting him live that down.”
Coming out of Sylvan Hills High, D.J. originally committed to Missouri State, but a late offer from Arkansas, his dream school, made him flip his commitment to the Razorbacks. In three seasons at Arkansas, he compiled an 18-9 record and 2.71 ERA. The Minnesota Twins drafted him in the 10th round of the 2012 MLB Draft.
Like Parker, Blake wanted to follow his brother.
“Blake was always a lot better than I was,” D.J. said. “Once I came, Arkansas was always his choice.”
Parker and Blake will have their first chance to leave their own mark in Fayetteville this season.
Blake could see some action at the beginning of the season, as senior Jake Wise fully recovers from his own Tommy John surgery. He will also likely get playing time as the backup catcher, to give Wise a day off from time to time.
After losing all three of its weekend starters, Arkansas will be looking for new arms on the mound, so Parker will have an opportunity to pitch early in the season.
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