Twins draft hard-throwing prep pitcher Chase Petty, switch-hitting shortstop Noah Miller in first round

DENVER – About an hour before the 2021 baseball draft began on Sunday, 18-year-old Chase Petty received a knock-em-dead text from one of his biggest admirers — another southern Jersey ballplayer named Mike Trout.

"We talked a little bit and he told me about his night" in 2009 when he was drafted by the Angels with the 25th pick, Petty said. "I can see where he's coming from now, because this is unreal."

Petty, a righthander with "electric" velocity from Mainland Regional High in Linwood, N.J., went one pick later than Trout, becoming the first pitcher in six years to be drafted in the first round by the Twins when they selected him 26th overall.

"We feel fortunate that he was still on the board," scouting director Sean Johnson said. "It was a great outcome for us."

And it just got better, Johnson said, when Noah Miller, a switch-hitting shortstop from Ozaukee High in Fredonia, Wis., was still available when the Twins utilized their competitive-balance pick, No. 36 overall.

"I'm glad we got him. One of our favorites," Johnson said. "It doesn't take you long [once] you talk to Noah Miller to figure out that he's a rock-star kid," and also the brother of a big-leaguer, Cleveland catcher Owen Miller. The Twins will choose 18 more players Monday and Tuesday, "but getting two guys in the barn that you loved on the first day is a good feeling," he said.

Johnson had said earlier in the week that he preferred to focus on hitters in the first round and trust his scouts to uncover solid pitching prospects in later rounds. He made an exception for an 18-year-old whose fastball already reaches triple digits.

New Jersey's Gatorade Player of the Year, Petty dominated the Cape-Atlantic League, the same league that produced Trout a dozen years ago. Petty struck out 99 hitters in 48⅔ innings during his senior season, posted a 1.48 ERA and even led his team in RBIs, playing second base when he wasn't pitching.

MLB draft: The first-round picks

He committed to play college baseball for SEC powerhouse Florida. But the Twins, armed with a $2,653,400 bonus for that draft slot, clearly believe they can convince him to forego a career with the Gators. They also believe he will be worth it.

"You start with the velocity and the delivery and the athleticism. He's got arm strength" as evidenced by a fastball that frequently topped 100 mph his senior year, Johnson said. "He's got spin talent with his breaking balls, and feel for the changeup."

Taking a high school pitcher who throws that hard is "a leap of faith," given the long history of injuries that plague such picks. But the Twins evaluated his mechanics, not to mention his competitiveness, and decided it's a gamble worth taking.

"I've always thrown harder for my age group, but it wasn't until my sophomore year when I started training [and] seeing improvements with velocity," Petty said shortly after being presented with a Twins jersey by LaTroy Hawkins. "I throw a four-seamer, a sinker, a slider and a changeup, and right now I'm really kind of just working on perfecting everything, getting bigger, getting stronger."

Miller was a strong candidate for the 26th pick, Johnson said, so getting him 10 picks later was a coup. He is in line for a bonus with a slot value of $2,045,400.

"It's rare anymore to see a player you believe in that has hit skills from both sides of the plate. We think he'll have power from both sides," Johnson said of the 18-year-old shortstop who had also committed to an SEC program, Alabama. "He's extremely instinctive as a defender. He's not the fastest shortstop, but we think he has a chance to stay there a long time. Great hands, great feet, just super advanced."