Chris Parmelee

After clubbing 74 home runs and driving in 370 runs over six years in the minor leagues,[2] Parmelee received his first call to the majors in September 2011. He, Joe Benson and Liam Hendriks all started for the Twins in their big league debuts on September 6.[6] He hit a single in his first major league at bat to lead off the second, but was stranded at third as the Twins were shut out by Chicago White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy.[7] The following day, he collected his first two major league RBIs with a double to center off John Danks in the Twins' 5-4 victory over the White Sox.[8] On September 17 against the Cleveland Indians, Parmelee went 3-for-3 and hit his first major league home run in the eighth inning off Josh Judy.[9] He finished the year with a .355 average, four home runs and 14 RBI in 21 games.

Parmelee with the Twins in 2013

With the Twins' regular first baseman, Justin Morneau, starting the season as the designated hitter, Parmelee opened the 2012 season with the Twins as their starting first baseman despite not yet having played at triple-A. Morneau was placed on the disabled list in April, but Parmelee struggled as well, batting just .179 and without a home run through mid-May[10] and was optioned to the triple-A Rochester Red Wings on May 16 when Morneau was activated.[11]

Parmelee hit well in his first taste of the highest level of the minor leagues, batting .375 with four homers, and was brought back to the major leagues on June 7.[12] He was returned to the minors on July 5,[13] promoted briefly again while Morneau was on paternity leave in late July,[14] then finally called up for good on August 29. Overall, he had hit .338 at Rochester with 17 home runs in just 64 games, good enough to lead the team.[15] In his major league time, he finished with a .229 average, five home runs and 20 RBI in 64 games.[16]

With Morneau recovered, the Twins made Parmelee their starting right fielder on Opening Day of the 2013 season.[17] In early May, Parmelee started sharing right field duties with Oswaldo Arcia. Ryan Doumit also got time in right field. Parmelee also got starts at first base filling in for Justin Morneau. At the All-Star break, Parmelee was optioned to Rochester.[18] At the time, Parmelee was hitting .223 with 8 HR and 20 RBI. Playing first base and right field for Rochester, in 45 games, he hit .231 with 3 HR and 22 RBI. On September 9, Parmelee was recalled by the Twins after Rochester's season was over.[19] Parmelee split first base duties with Chris Colabello to finish the season. In 101 games with Minnesota in 2013, Parmelee hit .228 with 8 HR and 24 RBI.

Parmelee was outrighted off the Twins roster on March 27, 2014.[20] He was re-added to the roster on May 9. Parmelee was designated for assignment on December 13 to clear a roster spot for Ervin Santana.

Parmelee signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles before the 2015 season. He was called up by the Orioles on June 16. In his first game with the team, against the Philadelphia Phillies later that day, he went 4-for-6, hitting 2 home runs as the Orioles beat the Phillies 19-3. The very next day, Parmelee went 1-for-3, hitting another home run and scoring two runs as the Orioles beat the Phillies. He was designated for assignment on July 31 to make room for newly acquired outfielder Gerardo Parra.[21]

On February 22, 2016, Parmelee signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees.[22] He began the 2016 season with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. When Mark Teixeira went on the disabled list on June 4, the Yankees promoted Parmelee to the major leagues.[23] In Parmelee's first start with the Yankees, on June 8, he hit two home runs, and a double, driving in 3 runs. He became the first Yankee to hit two home runs in his first start with the team since Roger Maris in 1960.[24] The next day, he suffered a left hamstring strain, and was placed on the disabled list.[25] He elected to become a free agent after the season.[26]

On November 30, 2016, Parmelee signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics that included an invitation to spring training.[27] He played 41 games for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds before being placed on the disabled list on June 6. He was released by the Athletics on June 13.[28]

On July 26, 2017, Parmelee signed a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins. He elected free agency on November 6, 2017.

On March 9, 2019, Parmelee signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was selected to the mid-season Texas League All-Star Game while playing for the Tulsa Drillers.[29] He became a free agent after the season on November 4.