With the 26th pick in the 2021 MLB draft, the Minnesota Twins have selected right-handed pitcher Chase Petty. A native of New Jersey, Petty had committed to play for the Gators during the 2022 college baseball season.
The Twins’ selection of Petty meant the second of Florida baseball’s elite baseball recruits will almost certainly turn pro instead of coming to Gainesville. Players selected in the first round almost never go unsigned unless a major red flag suddenly pops up.
In Petty, the Twins are getting a pitcher who can offer some of the best raw stuff in the 2021 MLB draft class. Like Andrew Painter, another Gators recruit who was poached on Sunday night, Petty was ranked as the best high school pitcher at points during the draft cycle.
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“He has a blazing fastball and can spin a wicked slider, but there’s not a lot else that is certain about him. His consistency has slipped and the industry is becoming increasingly skittish about string-armed youngsters without polish,” we wrote in June, summarizing what he brought to the table.
The Twins were also a speculative landing spot for Gators star Jud Fabian. The shine of Fabian’s star has faded considerably since his preseason projection as a top-5 draft pick. He strikes out a heck of a lot more than pro teams want to see. However, the Twins have a good track record of developing college bats, particularly outfielders, and could still snatch him up if he slides all the way to the bottom of the second round.
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