Minnesota Twins: Grading first two picks
The Minnesota Twins’ had two picks on the first day of the MLB Draft and selected right-handed pitcher Chase Petty and shortstop Noah Miller. Now that day one is in the books, it’s time to grade how they did.
Chase Petty:
Minnesota has a strong farm system of pitchers, but a team can never have enough talent in that department. Petty was selected with the 26th pick, marking the first time the Twins had taken a high school pitcher with their top pick since 1992.
More than likely, it’ll be close to four years before we potentially see him in the big leagues. This season for Mainland Baseball, he pitched in eight games and logged 48.2 innings. He didn’t record a win or a loss but finished with 99 strikeouts and eight earned runs.
His most impressive game was against Millville, where he threw a no-hitter and struck out 18 batters. In high school, they only play seven innings, meaning he had three outs that weren’t a strikeout.
Petty ranked 27th in MLB’s prospect rankings and has thrown as high as 102 mph. His best pitch is his fastball and if he can consistently throw hard with good command, then at the minimum, he’ll be a really good bullpen arm for the Twins.
MLB.com says his slider is his second-best pitch.
His upper-80s slider plays well off his fastball, running away from righties.
Long-term, Petty may have to work a fourth pitch in his arsenal if he wants to be a starter. He’s only 18 years old, so his fastball, changeup and slider may work for now.
If he’s going to be hanging out with players like this, then I’m sure he will learn a thing or two.
Throwing triple digits is always a cause for concern, but if he can stay healthy and develop a fourth pitch, then he should be a really good major league pitcher.
Grade: A
Noah Miller
Minnesota decided to take Miller with their competitive balance pick at 36. These picks are given to 10 teams that have the lowest revenue.
Miller has some bloodlines in the MLB. His brother, Owen Miller, is currently in his rookie season for the Cleveland Indians.
Noah Miller was the 62nd ranked prospect in MLB’s system – so a bit of a stretch in their eyes. Like Petty, Miller will be entering the Twins’ system as an 18-year-old. There’s a lot of work to do offensively, but he projects to be a great defender.
Miller is a switch-hitter, which will help him in some situations. Here’s what MLB.com has to say about his offensive development:
A switch-hitter, he has a better swing and more pop from the right side. He makes repeated contact, has done a nice job of getting stronger in the last year and might have average power if he continues to develop.
MLB ranks his power at a 45, which is a fairly low grade. If he can develop into hitting 15-to-20 home runs per season, then his long-term outlook is a lot higher. If he does end up as a contact hitter, Miller has average speed and won’t be stealing a lot of bases.
The defense will allow him to have success in the minors, but his batting is the biggest question mark moving forward. Being only 18, Minnesota can take their time with him and develop him over the years. At the moment this looks like a high-reward pick.
