Reds receive promising return after trading Sonny Gray to the Twins

The Cincinnati Reds have traded starting pitcher Sonny Gray to the Minnesota Twins along with minor-league pitcher Francis Peguero. In exchange, the Redlegs will receive the Twins first-round pick from the 2021 MLB Draft, pitcher Chase Petty.

While it's sad to see Gray leave Cincinnati, fans should not be overly shocked by the deal. Heading into the offseason, it was made apparent by the Reds front office that the organization would be looking to reduce payroll. Gray was owed $11.2M for the upcoming season.

Who is the Reds newest addition Chase Petty?

For now, let's focus on the Cincinnati Reds newest addition. Chase Petty was selected with the 26th overall pick in last year's draft. Petty appeared just briefly last season, throwing just five innings at the Twins training complex in Florida.

Petty has a fastball that hits triple-digits and a plus slider as well. Not even 19 years old, Petty signed for $2.5M after being drafted last summer. Prior to the 2021 MLB Draft, according to MLB Pipeline, Petty was rated as the 27th-best prospect in the field, and only three high school pitchers were ranked higher.

Petty has been referred to as fearless; unafraid to pitch inside to hitters. His slider will typically tail away from right-handed batters, and he possess as changeup as well. If the Reds coaching staff can help Petty improve that third pitch, Cincinnati might have landed a gem.

With a young pitcher who throws that hard, there's always injury concerns. Chase Petty only stands 6-foot-1, so there's some scouts who question whether or not he has the frame to be a consistent starting pitcher. I would just point them in the direction of Sonny Gray, who only stands 5-foot-10.

It's a bitter pill to swallow, but one that most Reds fans saw coming. This trade, however, may lessen the likelihood we'll the Cincinnati Reds look to deal Tyler Mahle or Luis Castillo before the season begins. It also opens up a spot in the rotation for the quartet or Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Reiver Sanmartin, and Riley O'Brien.