Mainland Alum Chase Petty Faces Dodgers Star-Studded Lineup in Spring Training Game

Former Mainland High School star Chase Petty, a first-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft, got a chance to face the World Series champion Dodgers in a Cactus League game on Tuesday night.

Petty, one of the top prospects in the Reds organization, was traded to Cincinnati before the 2022 season. On Tuesday night, the 21-year-old Reds hurler dazzled Dodgers regulars through three innings of work, striking out four, allowing just one run on four hits against the Dodgers.

The former Mustang averaged 97.6 mph with his fastball but displayed a variety of off-speed stuff to keep the Dodgers' star-studded lineup off balance, including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freema, and Teoscar Hernandez, giving the 2021 Mainland alum plenty of confidence entering the 2025 season.

"I feel like I showed the coaches that I belong right in the big leagues with the best of the best," Petty told reporters after the game. I feel like I have the caliber to be a Cy Young (winner) and be one of the best pitchers in the game, so I think it's just believing in my abilities and executing pitches."

A crowd assembled at one of Petty's favorite locals spots in his hometown of Somers Point, Charlie's, to watch him perform against the Dodgers.

While Petty will likely open the year at Triple-A Louisville, if he keeps this up, local fans just might get to see him pitch at the big league level every fifth day at some point later this summer.

Petty often comes back and gives to his community.  In January of 2024, he held a 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Millville and, in October, a golf tournament at Harbor Pines Golf Club to raise money for Chase Petty Foundation, an organization that helps improve the lives of underprivileged children. He has also donated to the Millville Babe Ruth program to help upgrade their facilities and the program.