The Reds acquired Petty from the Twins on Sunday in exchange for right-handed starting pitcher Sonny Gray and minor-league right-hander Francisco Peguero.
The transaction is a signal that the Reds are gearing up for a rebuild, as Gray was Cincinnati's No. 2 starter in 2021, while Petty was the No. 26 overall pick in last summer's First-Year Player Draft and is multiple years away from the majors. The 18-year-old right-hander is blessed with a big fastball that can touch 100 miles per hour, but improving his command and developing his secondary offerings will be essential if he's to emerge as a frontline starter in the big leagues down the road. He'll likely open the 2022 campaign at the rookie-ball level before potentially moving up to Low-A Daytona, though he's expected to be on some sort of innings cap for this season, given his relative youth.