Chase Petty, just 22 years old, took the mound for the Cincinnati Reds in the second game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Among the Reds’ top pitching prospects, Petty ranks sixth according to MLB Pipeline and third by Baseball America. The highest-ranked is Chase Burns, the Reds’ 2024 first-round draft pick and second overall, who tops the team’s prospect lists but has yet to debut professionally, having pitched only one inning in Spring Training.
Petty, drafted 26th overall by the Twins in 2021 and acquired by Cincinnati in the Sonny Gray trade, reached the majors first. Ironically, Gray watched Petty’s debut from the opposing dugout.
Petty had a solid Spring Training, appearing in four games (two starts), pitching 10 innings and giving up only two earned runs. His standout performance came against the defending champion Dodgers on March 4, where he held a lineup including Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani to one run over three innings.
Excited by the challenge, Petty said, “It brought a smile to my face seeing who I was going to face… I just wanted to attack the strike zone and get ahead.”
Manager Terry Francona praised Petty’s potential and demeanor, noting, “We loved him… Regardless of how he does, it’s not going to define his future. But the present is exciting.”
Due to a rainout, it became Petty’s turn to start, giving other pitchers like Andrew Abbott and Hunter Greene adjusted rest.
Unfortunately, Petty’s debut was tough. He gave up nine runs in 2.1 innings, including a three-run homer to Willson Contreras. Still, Francona remained supportive, recognizing Petty’s nerves and effort.
After the game, Petty acknowledged his struggles, saying, “I know I’m better than how I performed tonight,” but appreciated Francona’s encouragement: “That put the biggest smile on my face.”
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