The Twins select Chase Petty 26th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft

With the 26th selection in the 2021 MLB Draft, the Twins selected RHP Chase Petty from Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, New Jersey.

Petty is a bit undersized for a right-handed starter at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, but he has elite fastball velocity, sitting in the upper 90s and reaching into triple digits, and also throws an impressive upper-80s slider. He also throws a changeup, though that pitch is still very raw. While his fastball gives him some leeway, it’s likely that he’ll need to add another pitch to succeed as a starter at the major league level.

There are a couple risks with Petty: That he’ll get injured over-exerting himself while throwing a massive fastball with a high-effort delivery and a smaller frame (especially at just 18 years old), and that he’ll end up as a reliever because his repertoire isn’t expansive enough. But even if he ends up as a reliever, he’ll be a real weapon — provided he can stay healthy, of course — because of his overpowering fastball, which could make him a candidate to close if starting doesn’t work out.