MLB.com Mock Draft Has Mainland Pitcher Chase Petty Going in Round One

The NFL draft is happening on Thursday.

The build up to the NFL draft is filled with speculation and mock drafts, trying to predict where each prospect might land, and what each team might need.

While the Major League Baseball draft isn't typically filled with the same speculation, one local product sill have local eyes glued to the MLB draft this July.

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Mainland Regional pitcher Chase Petty, a University of Florida commit, will likely hear his name called on July 11 in the first-round and is currently the No. 23 ranked prospect in the nation.

The big question is when?

If his first outing this season for the Mustangs is any indication, it could be higher then originally thought. The right-hander tossed a complete game with 13 strikeouts, giving up just two hits, two runs while touching triple-digits on the radar gun with regularity.

On Sunday MLB.com posted its MLB mock draft with Petty landing with the St. Louis Cardinals with pick No. 18.

Yes, he’s not the biggest guy in the world, but he’s touching triple digits and has a better feel for pitching than you’d expect for an undersized guy with power stuff.

Even at 6-foot, 185-pounds, if Petty continues to dazzle on the radar gun and show good command, he should hear his name called in round one, and he could continue to shoot up draft boards if 13 strikeout outings continue.

As for the Phillies, who own the No. 13 pick, MLB.com has them passing on Petty for another pitcher, Gunner Hoglund of Mississippi.

Hoglund is the wild card of the week because of the missed start. If he bounces back fine, he likely doesn’t make it this far.

Would be nice to see the Phillies grab the local product, Petty, we all know what happened the last time a local product was passed on in the first-round.  Mike Trout was the 25th pick in the 2009 draft and has turned out to be one of the best players in the history of the game.