[1] He has two siblings; his father, Jay, played six seasons of professional baseball, including four appearances with the Minnesota Twins.

[2][3] The younger Pettibone attended Esperanza High School in Anaheim, California, and played baseball and basketball there prior to graduating in 2008.

[5] That year, he started his professional career as a member of the Gulf Coast League Phillies, with whom he made only one appearance, allowing two unearned runs in one inning, and thus receiving the loss.

Again, Baseball America ranked Pettibone as the Phillies' fourth-best prospect at the conclusion of the season, his last spent solely in the minor leagues.

[1] Entering the Phillies' 2013 season, despite Pettibone's quick ascension through the minor leagues and strong performance late in 2012 for the Triple-A IronPigs, he was considered to be behind Tyler Cloyd, Adam Morgan, and Ethan Martin on the organizational depth chart for starting pitchers.

[12] Ultimately, the discomfort kept him from remaining a competitor for a spot in the back of the Phillies' rotation, and he began the season in the minor leagues.

However, he was the first pitcher to be called up from the minor leagues to make a start for the Phillies in 2014, serving as a spot starter while Cole Hamels recovered from injury.

[13] His injury woes subsequently continued; he was diagnosed with a SLAP tear, and though he declined surgery, he received a cortisone injection and was placed on the disabled list to rest.

[14] Todd Zolecki, the Phillies beat writer for MLB.com, noted, "Pettibone’s shoulder is a legitimate concern because this is the third time he has had to stop pitching in less than a year because of it.

[17] Spending the whole year on the disabled list, Pettibone was activated on October 7; he was subsequently removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Lehigh Valley.

Secondarily, he throws a changeup, which Eric Longenhagen called his "best offering" because it "features good fade and arm speed.