Former Mainland star Chase Petty traded before his first full professional baseball season

The reality of big business in sports hit 2021 Mainland graduate Chase Petty before he reached his 19th birthday.

A year ago Petty was preparing for his opening start for Mainland against Holy Spirit.

Since then he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins, signed for a $2.5 million bonus and traded before his first full professional season.

On March 13, the Twins, who selected Petty with the 26th pick in the first round of the 2021 draft, dealt the former Mainland righthander to the Cincinnati Reds.

In exchange for Petty, the Twins received coveted righthander Sonny Gray and minor league pitcher Francis Peguero.
At least in his first trade, it was for one of the better Major League pitchers.

The Reds wanted to dump salary, even though Gray’s wasn’t exorbitant for a quality starting pitcher.

He is to make $10.7 million this season and there is a club option for 2023 for $13 million.

Barring injury, it’s a lock that the Twins will exercise the club option, meaning that they traded Petty for at least two years of Gray’s services.

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The 32-year-old Gray has been a two-time All-Star. He had great success with the Oakland A’s, going 44-36 with a 3.42 ERA in parts of five seasons.

Gray was dealt with the New York Yankees and things never worked out during his year and a half in the Bronx, he was 15-16 with a 4.51 ERA.
During his three seasons in Cincinnati, Gray went 23-20 with a 3.49 ERA.
He will greatly help the pitching-starved Twins.

As for Petty, he is really just starting his career.
Last year he appeared in just two games for the Twins in their Florida Complex League (FCL). Many players who get drafted, especially pitchers, usually don’t throw a lot of innings after signing due to the load they had before the draft.

Petty only pitched five innings in the FCL, allowing three runs. Considered the hardest throwing high school pitcher last year (and likely college as well) when he threw as high as 101 MPH, Petty struck out six in the five innings and only walked one.

As soon as the trade was announced, Petty went on Twitter and wrote: “Let’s get to work! @Reds.”

After the trade, Red's general manager Nick Krall gave his assessment of Petty to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“Big fastball, 95-100 mph, good slider," Krall said. “He’s just a really premium athlete on the mound."

Petty, who had a commitment to the University of Florida before signing with the Twins, was 5-1 with a 1.15 ERA in 48 ? innings last season for Mainland. He had 99 strikeouts.

He won’t turn 19 until April 4 but already has learned first-hand the business side that comes with playing the game that he loves.
 

Author: Marc Narducci