Tigers' Parker taken No. 26

AUBURN, Ala. — Just beyond the right field at Plainsman Park is located a rowdy fan section called “K’s Corner.”

With Clemson quarterback and right fielder Kyle Parker already dealing with enough anxiety Monday playing in an elimination game with the baseball draft running simultaneously, the Auburn revelers decided to add more stress to Parker’s life.

“In right field they were messing with me all day, they told me I got drafted with the third pick overall,” Parker said. “I told them when I went out there ‘You guys can mess with me, I don’t care, just stop making up this draft thing.’ ”

The weight lifted in the seventh.

A roar erupted from the Parker family in the Clemson seating section, where hugs where exchanged. The mobile devices revealed a dream change to reality: Parker selected 26th overall by Colorado.

Parker received the news in the Clemson dugout as hitting coach Tom Riginos delivered the message to Parker, who hardly showed any nerves, belting a three-run home run in the first inning.

“I just feel blessed,” Parker said. “I came in little nervous … and I kind of felt selfish for even thinking about it.

“I’m just glad it’s over with. I know where I’m going to end up. I guess we can figure out all that other stuff after the season is over.”

Parker received praise from Clemson baseball coach Jack Leggett and his teammates for how he’s handled the situation this season.

The anxiety now shifts from Parker to the Clemson football offices.

The question for Clemson remains the status of its starting quarterback, and the first-round selection by the Rockies does not bode well.

Last season the Rockies selected Tyler Matzek 11th overall in the first round, a high school lefty who fell due to signing demands. The Rockies signed Matzek to a $3.9 million bonus.

In 2008, the Rockies gave Christian Friedrich, the 25th overall pick, $1.35 million. And the Rockies are an organization that did pretty well developing another former college quarterback — Todd Helton.

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney might not know for weeks, perhaps months, after negotiations commence whether his starting quarterback will return.

“It is not surprising that he was drafted by Colorado because they have had great success with Todd Helton, who also played quarterback at Tennessee,” Swinney said in a release.

“We will sit down with Kyle and his family some time after the baseball season ends. We won’t do anything to disrupt our baseball team in postseason play. At least now we know where he stands.

“I feel he has a bright future in football as well and certainly hope he will be under center for us this fall.”

The Parker camp has not announced a dollar figure it is looking for other than saying it is seeking “life-changing” money in regard to giving up football.

On Sunday, Parker’s father, Carl, told The Post and Courier the camp was open to creative contracts, but Carl Parker also said earlier this year “why pass up one life-changing opportunity” while waiting for “another.”

In its final mock draft, Baseball America predicted the Rockies would select Parker with the 26th pick. The Rockies do have recent history with Clemson, having selected former Tigers first baseman Ben Paulsen in the third round last season.

Parker’s jubilation is perhaps rivaled in South Carolina only by backup Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd who is likely smiling somewhere today.

Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals selected junior college slugger Bryce Harper with the No. 1 overall pick at the draft site in Secaucus, N.J.

The Nationals selected the much-hyped Harper, a 17-year-old with prodigious power from the College of Southern Nevada.

“It’s what I’ve wanted since I was 7 years old,” Harper said.

A year after taking similarly hyped right-hander Stephen Strasburg, the Nationals took Harper, who can play catcher but was announced as an outfielder at the draft site at MLB Network studios by commissioner Bud Selig.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo envisions Harper as a No. 3-type power hitter with a strong arm in right field.

The 6-3, 205-pound Harper surpassed former big league pitcher Alex Fernandez, who went fourth overall to the Chicago White Sox in 1990, as the highest-drafted junior college player.

With the second overall pick, Pittsburgh selected hard-throwing Texas high school right-hander Jameson Taillon. He was considered by many the top pitcher in the draft with a fastball in the mid- to upper-90s that overpowers hitters on a regular basis.

“There’s a lot there to like,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said.

Baltimore went next and picked smooth-fielding Florida high school shortstop Manny Machado, who has drawn comparisons to Alex Rodriguez for his ability and background.

The Associated Press contributed to this story