Florida State junior right-handed pitcher Geoff Parker had Tommy John surgery on Monday in Tallahassee, which might mean he will choose to return to school rather than to start a professional career.

Parker, a ninth-round pick of the Colorado Rockies in last month’s Major League Baseball draft, still must hear what the Rockies may offer him after the club reviews his medical reports. It normally takes 12-13 months to rehabilitate from such a reconstructive procedure so, if he were to sign with the Rockies, he’d be looking at pitching professionally around September 2011.

But he could opt to go back to FSU, take the 2010-11 school year to rehab as a redshirt season and work on his degree in social sciences; he said he needs three more semesters to finish. He’d also have the possibility of pitching for the Seminoles in 2012.

“Those are my options,’’ said the former Zephryhills High star.

“It’s really a shame,’’ FSU coach Mike Martin said of the injury. “He’s a special guy.’’

Parker, who had a 4-1 record with a 4.69 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 80.2 innings, injured his pitching elbow during a relief appearance against TCU at the College World Series. He started the eighth inning and threw just 10 pitches to three batters before he heard a "pop.'' After he left, TCU rallied for eight runs for an 11-7 win that ended the Seminoles’ season.

He said he initially feared the worse, hearing a “pop,’’ but later thought it was “something small. But it turned out to be Tommy John.’’