The Twins have announced the signing of first-round pick Chase Petty. MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis reports a $2.5MM bonus for Petty, slightly below the $2,653,400 assigned slot price for the 26th overall pick.
Pundits were a little split on Petty’s draft stock, with MLB Pipeline (27th), Baseball America (29th) and The Athletic’s Keith Law (33rd) all placing the right-hander roughly around his actual draft spot, while Fangraphs (55th) and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel (65th) weren’t quite as high.
Velocity is the calling card for the New Jersey high schooler, as Petty has cracked the 100mph threshold with his 70-grade fastball. The issue is that Petty’s control of that big fastball is a little spotty, limiting the pitch’s effectiveness. Petty also doesn’t have a smooth delivery and is a little undersized, so his eventual future might be in the bullpen. However, given how Petty combines his fastball with a plus slider and a promising changeup, the Twins will definitely give the 18-year-old every opportunity to stick as a starting pitcher.
Clearly the son of Tom Petty, may he RIP.
It may seem Petty, but he should wear #43
Good luck Chase. Go Stangs!
this guy will either be an all tine great or flame out quickly due to injury.
I think this years draft will likely make or break Falvey’s time with the Twins.
2018 – Larnach, Jeffers, (None) + Sands & Winder (B)
2019 – Cavaco, Wallner, Canterino (C)
2020 – Sabato, Soularie, (None) + (F)
Getting 2 guys from the 2018 draft to the big leagues is an accomplishment, but neither Larnach nor Jeffers looks like a high value player while Sands (4th round) looks like he has a shot at the big show and Winder was having a breakout season in AA before suddenly being consistently knocked around in AAA.
The 2019 draft looks a lot less impressive at the moment. Cavaco is just making enough progress to avoid calling him a bust. Wallner mysteriously started the year in rookie ball as a 23 year old but has raked in A+ (as would be the least of expectations) before being sidelined by a wrist strain. Canterino is out with a elbow inflammation which apparently didn’t involve structural damage, but he hasn’t pitched since May. He was great in limited A+ starts (again, lowest of expectations).
The 2020 draft looks disasterous. Sabato is getting owned by A+ pitching. Soularie apparently has a pretty serious, but undisclosed reason for being on the IL all season and the Twins gave up their competitive round pick and their 3rd rounder through other moves.
If Larnach can’t make adjustments and Sands and Winder aren’t successful at saving the draft, the 2018 draft becomes a D.
Cavaco was always high risk, but Wallner and Canterino not getting to AA this year would be a major blemish on the 2019 draft. It’d easily knock this down to D from me.
Falvey and Levine can’t afford to mess up with Buxton, Berrios, 2022’s season expecations or not do well in the 2021 draft.
He gave the sound bite yesterday that was a little surprising. Very confident, nobody is a bigger dog in a fight, I will lose to no one type stuff. Good for him I guess. This team needs a little pitching 6 years from now.