In an era when the transfer portal reshapes collegiate sports, school loyalty has become rare. Many players change schools after only serving on a sports team for a year. For senior third baseman Parker McDonald, staying all four years at Samford University was never about resisting change; it was about trusting the process.
Now a veteran presence on the Bulldogs’ infield, McDonald represents something increasingly uncommon in college athletics: a player who arrived as a freshman, waited his turn and grew into a leader without leaving in search of a quicker opportunity. McDonald is also now a team captain with second baseman Jeffery Ince.
“I’ve waited my turn to start for 2 years. I earned a starting role last year and had a good year,” McDonald said. “I knew which guys were coming back. We have some good players who came back, and we are predicted to win the SoCon championship.”
McDonald’s path to Samford began during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 recruiting period. Without the benefit of a traditional visit, he toured campus on a standard school trip and committed soon after, drawn to both the university and the baseball program’s history and reputation.
Unlike many Division I players today, transferring to a bigger program was never a primary goal.
“I wouldn’t say it was like a big idea of mine to transfer. I mean, Samford’s Division I. Going DI was already a pretty cool thing to do. It was a goal of mine,” McDonald said. “So, once I got to that level, I was pretty happy. Transferring bigger was never really a thought coming out of high school.”
His patience was tested early. As an underclassman, McDonald saw limited playing time while adjusting to the speed and physical demands of college baseball.
“Obviously, whenever you come to college, it’s a goal to play. Freshman and sophomore year kind of hit hard. I was struggling baseball-wise,” he said. “Then last year, I had a good year, so that got me excited.”
Instead of switching schools, he committed to development, in the weight room, on the field, and mentally. By his junior year, in the spring of 2025, the work paid off. He earned the starting job at third base and delivered a breakout offensive season.
Head coach Tony David said McDonald’s growth embodies the program’s philosophy of long-term player development. David’s aim to have a family-oriented team is exhibited through McDonald.
“Parker is a great poster child for our program. He was a Samford kid through and through, which we try to only recruit those kinds of kids,” David said. “But, he was a good fit for the university and our program day from one.”
David, now in his fifth year as head coach at Samford — his twenty-second year coaching baseball — emphasizes defense and infield play, areas where McDonald quickly excelled. Early in his career, there were questions about where he would fit offensively. Through repetition and strength training, those uncertainties faded.
McDonald’s decision to remain at Samford was also shaped by relationships. David describes the program as family-oriented, prioritizing trust, personal growth and stability in a rapidly changing college sports landscape.
“We try to pour into the guys from a relationship standpoint to where there is still a significant part of a relationship and a team-building aspect to it,” David said. “Certainly not a Samford, it’s not a transactional relationship. And so, we hope that environment helps have the guys want to be here.”
That culture mattered when McDonald considered his final season. With several teammates transferring in recent years, he chose to stay alongside a core group of veterans who entered the program together. Those who stayed with McDonald all four years include Hayden Perry, John Whitney, Alex Gaeto and Noah Berry. The opportunity to lead them and chase a Southern Conference title outweighed any temptation to leave.
Teammates responded last fall by voting McDonald as a captain. For McDonald, leadership means setting the tone daily rather than delivering speeches.
“Me and Jeff talked a little bit about it in the summer coming back this year about building good team chemistry. That was also the main focus this fall: to have the team hang out more, do more activities together,” he said.
For David, players like McDonald validate a developmental model that prioritizes patience over instant results.
As the season unfolds, McDonald’s presence at third base is more than a defensive anchor; it’s a symbol of continuity in a sport increasingly defined by change.
Staff Reporter
