Why Billy Amick is One of Baseball's Best Third Base Prospects

[Cody Christie]

Lots of shuffling happens on baseball’s top prospect lists in the cold winter months. Does one recent Twins draft pick already rank among baseball’s best third-base prospects?

Image courtesy of Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Photo of Billy Amick)

Minnesota’s current front office regime has focused on certain player types in the MLB Draft. These picks have included using mid-round picks on right-handed college pitchers and focusing on college bats with higher floors. Billy Amick fits this mold. The Twins took him with their second-round pick in 2024 from the University of Tennessee, and he made a strong impression during his professional debut. 

Amick put himself on the draft board map during his junior season, as he had a power explosion. In 65 games, he hit .306/.387/.639, with 14 doubles and 26 home runs. He had 53 strikeouts in 255 at-bats, but drew 29 walks—10 more than in any other college season. He played the majority of his defensive innings at third base, but he’s also seen time at first base and second base. Plenty of strong signs pointed to teams being interested in him as an early-round draft pick. 

Potential Hidden Upside
Amick’s professional career began in the Florida State League. Over 18 games with Fort Myers, the 21-year-old slashed .222/.351/.413, with three doubles and three home runs. He showcased a well-rounded offensive profile, including nearly as many walks (12) as strikeouts. Even as a right-handed batter, he performed better against righties with a .853 OPS, nearly 350 points higher than against lefties. His sample size was small against southpaws (19 PA), so there is room for him to improve in 2025. Some of those numbers might be underwhelming, but they matter only insofar as they prove his skill set as a general concept. 

What truly stood out during his debut was his hard-hit rate. According to Statcast data, Amick’s 104 MPH exit velocity ranked in the 90th percentile, a remarkable feat for a player fresh out of college. He also posted a 70.1 Contact%, 18.0 In Zone Whiff%, 25.0 Chase%, and 55.0 Ground%. His bat-to-ball skills will be something to monitor next season, but there is room for optimism. Around 43% of Amick’s batted balls have been hit 95 mph or harder, close to 10% above average for A-ball. Scouts rave about his compact swing, which generates both line-drive power and the potential for 20-plus home runs annually.  

College Experience: A Fast-Track Asset
Amick’s three years of collegiate experience positioned him to become a fast-moving prospect in the Twins' system. Unlike many younger draftees who require extended time in the minors to adjust to professional pitching, Amick has already demonstrated he can handle advanced competition. His maturity at the plate, combined with an excellent defensive foundation, makes it plausible for him to start next season at High-A, despite only 63 at-bats as a professional.

Once Amick opens the season with the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels, there is the potential for a midseason promotion to Double-A Wichita if he continues to hit as expected. While there’s no need to rush his development, the Twins might see Amick as a legitimate option to debut in the majors by early 2026. His college experience makes him a low-risk, high-reward prospect, capable of contributing sooner rather than later.

The Road to Third Base Stardom
Third base has been a revolving door for the Twins in recent years, with players like José Miranda and Royce Lewis providing mixed results. With no clear long-term solution at the hot corner, Amick has a real opportunity to solidify himself as the future of the position. His strong arm, soft hands, and solid lateral quickness make him a dependable defender, while his offensive tools point to an above-average regular.  

Amick’s rise mirrors those of other polished college hitters who have ascended prospect rankings in recent years. MLB Pipeline currently lists him outside baseball’s top-100 prospects but listed him as the 10th-best third base prospect near the season’s end. A strong 2025 campaign could move him up that list, with a chance to be a borderline top-100 prospect.

Amick is the kind of player every organization covets, one with both a high floor and an enticing ceiling. With a blend of power, plate discipline, and defensive acumen, he has all the tools to be an impact player at the major-league level.  Keep an eye on Amick as he progresses through the Twins' system. 

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What are your initial impressions of Amick? Is he one of baseball’s top third-base prospects? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[terrydactyls]

Whenever I read that someone has a compact swing, I immediately think of Paul Molitor.

[jmlease1]

Personally, I think that Brooks Lee is going to lock down 3B for the next several year at least, but happy to have Amick developing. Looks like he had a solid start and it'll be interesting to see how fast he's pushed and how well he does this season. You can never have too much talent.

[TwinsDr2021]

He will be 22 (still fairly young) the whole season, so hopefully he is in AA by the end of the season, good luck kid.

[Cody Christie]

9 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

Personally, I think that Brooks Lee is going to lock down 3B for the next several year at least, but happy to have Amick developing. Looks like he had a solid start and it'll be interesting to see how fast he's pushed and how well he does this season. You can never have too much talent.

I think the Twins feel like Lee will be the team's current third base plan. I also think there might be a time in the coming years where Correa needs to move off of shortstop and third base is a logical next step. Amick will likely get opportunities at multiple positions as he climbs the organizational ladder.

[Cody Christie]

41 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

Whenever I read that someone has a compact swing, I immediately think of Paul Molitor.

That would be a great long-term comp. Hopefully, Amick continues to develop. I don't think he has the skill set to hit for as high of an average as Molitor. 

[Cody Christie]

9 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

He will be 22 (still fairly young) the whole season, so hopefully he is in AA by the end of the season, good luck kid.

Yes, I don't think there is any reason to rush him. Let him get comfortable at each level while continuing to work on his swing. 

[jmlease1]

48 minutes ago, Cody Christie said:

Yes, I don't think there is any reason to rush him. Let him get comfortable at each level while continuing to work on his swing. 

it was such a small sample size at Ft Myers that we really don't know who he is yet. As a college player, you'd hope he could control the strike zone against A-ball pitchers, and he did grabbing plenty of walks. But while the overall OPS was solid for the FSL, the .222 batting average is more concerning. That said, a handful of hits in 63 ABs makes a big difference, so it could just be small sample size.

That's why i think the full year of pro baseball will be so interesting with him. He showed he could compete out the gate and doesn't need time in rookie ball/complex league/etc and can play in A-ball already. But let's see how a full year of professional baseball impacts him. He is coming form a high level program at Tennessee and Clemson is significant as well, so he's had good competition and hopefully decent coaching, access to high level training etc.  Now he gets to do this as a job and focus entirely on being a baseball player with a lot more games. Should be fun to track, seems like he was a solid pick.

[Doctor Gast]

I thought Bill Amick would have been taken before we got him in the 2nd round which makes us fortunate. While Lewis still at 3B so far with Lee probably taking over, eventually Correa & Culpepper moving there. It'll be a pretty crowded position. But I wish him well, you never know what pans out at the end. It's good to know that we have him as a good option if & when we need him.

[bean5302]

90th percentile in A-ball for a 22yr old high draft pick slugger at 3B is kind of expected. The issue with being the 10th best 3B prospect is that SS and 2B prospects who wind up not having the range get pushed to 3B a lot. There's not a ton of information you can really get from a 21 year old prospect just out of the draft (now technically 22), but Amick did hit well in Ft Myers with some pop, not unreasonable K rates and good walk rates. The biggest ding was the batting average, but when you have a .239 BABIP, there's plenty of room for that to be more impressive. The move to Cedar Rapids will hopefully be fun to watch!

Amick is the Twins' #11 prospect in MLB's rating, #39 for Fangraphs.

https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/twins/billy-amick-701771

Quote

Equipped with below-average speed and quickness along with average arm strength, he's a fringy-to-average third baseman who has looked more comfortable as he has gained more experience. He does have the work ethic to continue to improve but also may wind up at first base.

Here's hoping he proves the scouting reports to be overly bearish and Amick really takes off.

[tony&rodney]

Billy Amick had 77 plate appearances for the A ball Ft. Myers team as a 21 year old. Paul Molitor had 556 plate in his age 21 year old rookie season for the MLB Milwaukee Brewers, which was followed by 645 PA, a .322 BA, and a .842 OPS in his sophomore jinx campaign. The Twins will be elated if Billy Amick puts up those numbers in MLB next season. No pressure though. I certainly hope Amick does well.

[High heat]

I think what we have found out lately is the difference in offensive production needed from 3B to 1B down the defensive spectrum.  
 

If Amick can play a solid 3B the bar for a good bat at 3B is much different.  I thought when they drafted him they weren’t sure he could stick at 3B and would likely need to move to 1B.  Hopefully his athleticism suprised and playing a good big league 3B isn’t out of the question.

[twinstalker]

SMH and disagree.  Amick is not likely a good prospect, and even the 10th best 3B prospect doesn't usually make it to the majors because 3Bmen in the majors are guys that were former SS prospects.  The few who came up at 3B were outstanding hitters, meaning they destroyed college and the minors and didn't strike out there.  Amick strikes out too much to be a legit prospect...probably.  His homers were hit in a tiny college ballpark.  Look at how the Tennessee hitters who had a meh k rate have done in the minors.  Can't think of any?  My point exactly.  I can give you a few first rounders:  Drew Gilbert, Sterlin Thompson, Jordan Beck, and don't forget our own 2nd rd pick Alerick Soularie.

Amick played professionally against guys his same age who were a long way from the majors, and he didn't impress.  Most quality college prospects find their way to A+ after a short stint in low A.  The real hitting prospects are the ones who handle low A well at age 19 or less, not struggle at age 21.

This was a really bad draft, and the Twins would have been well-served to draft more of their pitching projects.

 

[LambchoP]

If the Twins dub Lee as our third baseman, then they should move Lewis to first. With Correa at SS that just leaves second base, which can be filled with any combo of Castro, Julien, Keaschal, Eeles....

[bean5302]

11 hours ago, twinstalker said:

...Amick played professionally against guys his same age who were a long way from the majors, and he didn't impress.  Most quality college prospects find their way to A+ after a short stint in low A...

 

First, he was straight out of the draft and the Twins assigned him to Ft. Myers, which is pretty typical for a college pick, and certainly better than being assigned to rookie ball. Amick only had 77 plate appearances so it's not like he had time to move up or that he's not on track.

HIs batting average on balls in play (BABIP) was only .239, which is super low, and probably just unlucky. If we change his line to a normal .300 BABIP he's like
.250/.380/.440 OPS .820 wRC+ 130ish instead of his already wRC+ 120 figure.

30% better than league average isn't impressive? It's not Earth shattering or something, but that's a very solid showing in a small sample size.

[DocBauer]

I didn't like projections of Amick as our 1st pick. I liked him in the 2nd round quite a lot. The swing and decent eye says he has potential to be a solid bat with power. There's still too much swing and miss and he has to reign that in some. And while pre draft reports indicated he had worked hard on his 3B defense, I think he's still got a ways to go to remain there. But that's also fairly typical for a lot of young infielders.

With Lee/Lewis at 3B, and Culpepper another future option there, assuming of today I'm expecting an eventual move to 1B. And I'm OK with that. The Twins haven't had a quality 1B prospect in years.

His AVG in so few AB after a full college season, then the college WS, and then transitioning to pro ball doesn't concern me at all. His BABIP was unusually low, but again, a SSS. The OB and SLG numbers looked just fine.

Absolutely expect him to break with Cedar Rapids. He makes improvement overall in contact and chase numbers, he's got the ability to reach AA sometime in the 2nd half of 2025 as a 22yo. That's damn good. 

[Fatbat]

On 12/14/2024 at 12:15 AM, twinstalker said:

SMH and disagree.  Amick is not likely a good prospect, and even the 10th best 3B prospect doesn't usually make it to the majors because 3Bmen in the majors are guys that were former SS prospects.  The few who came up at 3B were outstanding hitters, meaning they destroyed college and the minors and didn't strike out there.  Amick strikes out too much to be a legit prospect...probably.  His homers were hit in a tiny college ballpark.  Look at how the Tennessee hitters who had a meh k rate have done in the minors.  Can't think of any?  My point exactly.  I can give you a few first rounders:  Drew Gilbert, Sterlin Thompson, Jordan Beck, and don't forget our own 2nd rd pick Alerick Soularie.

Amick played professionally against guys his same age who were a long way from the majors, and he didn't impress.  Most quality college prospects find their way to A+ after a short stint in low A.  The real hitting prospects are the ones who handle low A well at age 19 or less, not struggle at age 21.

This was a really bad draft, and the Twins would have been well-served to draft more of their pitching projects.

 

How can you conclude it was a really bad draft before anyone has a full year in the minors?  4 years from now, Culpepper may be our starting 3B and Amick 1B and a pitcher drafted (pick one) may be a 20 game winner.  It’s waaay too early to say bad draft. 

[Fatbat]

Small sample size but he looks as advertised. If he develops at an above average pace and plays much better in Iowa, its certainly plausible to see him fast track to MLB in 2026. Chances are probably 50/50 at best tho.  Can he become at least a .280ba guy with 20+hr/yr? Only time will tell!! He is definitely not Paul Molitor but will he be Allstar Billy Amick someday? I wouldn’t bet against him! 

[bean5302]

54 minutes ago, Fatbat said:

How can you conclude it was a really bad draft before anyone has a full year in the minors?  4 years from now, Culpepper may be our starting 3B and Amick 1B and a pitcher drafted (pick one) may be a 20 game winner.  It’s waaay too early to say bad draft. 

If they all had first showings like Keoni Cavaco maybe?

.172/.217/.253 OPS .470 wRC+ 37 in rookie ball with a 4.3% BB rate and a 38.0% K rate would be good enough for me to bet a prospect wasn't going to make it.

[tony&rodney]

Kyle DeFarge must be up soon for an article. DeFarge doesn't have the size or power potential of Amick, but was projected to be a better hitter, much faster, stronger arm, and much better defender than Billy. While each player gets an opportunity to present their skills and I wish them all well, it would appear that players like Amick and DeFarge did well with their signing bonuses and now face a long road strewn with obstacles to climb toward MLB. I wouldn't bet on anything other than a possible utility role for a ceiling. Baseball is a tough sport.

[nicksaviking]

I hold my vote for the time being, but the BB%/K% looks similar to Keashall along with Julien and Steer before him in their first taste of pro ball. I wouldn't be surprised if they tweaked Amick's swing to try to unlock more power next year like they did with these other guys with positive ratios.

[Doctor Wu]

On 12/14/2024 at 9:32 PM, LambchoP said:

If the Twins dub Lee as our third baseman, then they should move Lewis to first. With Correa at SS that just leaves second base, which can be filled with any combo of Castro, Julien, Keaschal, Eeles....

Some of these guys are going to need to find new positions, or plan on being more versatile. Right now we just have too many similar players that need playing time in the infield. 

[Doctor Wu]

16 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Kyle DeFarge must be up soon for an article. DeFarge doesn't have the size or power potential of Amick, but was projected to be a better hitter, much faster, stronger arm, and much better defender than Billy. While each player gets an opportunity to present their skills and I wish them all well, it would appear that players like Amick and DeFarge did well with their signing bonuses and now face a long road strewn with obstacles to climb toward MLB. I wouldn't bet on anything other than a possible utility role for a ceiling. Baseball is a tough sport.

I think you meant DeBarge, but yes, he seems to be the forgotten prospect from this most recent draft. He certainly does seem like a better defender than Amick, but once again, with all these "versatile" infielders in the system, he may find it a battle for playing time. 

[Fatbat]

19 hours ago, bean5302 said:

If they all had first showings like Keoni Cavaco maybe?

.172/.217/.253 OPS .470 wRC+ 37 in rookie ball with a 4.3% BB rate and a 38.0% K rate would be good enough for me to bet a prospect wasn't going to make it.

Well there is that…

[Fatbat]

25 minutes ago, Doctor Wu said:

I think you meant DeBarge, but yes, he seems to be the forgotten prospect from this most recent draft. He certainly does seem like a better defender than Amick, but once again, with all these "versatile" infielders in the system, he may find it a battle for playing time. 

It is nteresting how the FO changed their drafting focus in early rounds to focus on great athletes with college experience. Yes I know thats not their entire focus but its where they start. 

[Linus]

On 12/13/2024 at 5:01 PM, bean5302 said:

90th percentile in A-ball for a 22yr old high draft pick slugger at 3B is kind of expected. The issue with being the 10th best 3B prospect is that SS and 2B prospects who wind up not having the range get pushed to 3B a lot. There's not a ton of information you can really get from a 21 year old prospect just out of the draft (now technically 22), but Amick did hit well in Ft Myers with some pop, not unreasonable K rates and good walk rates. The biggest ding was the batting average, but when you have a .239 BABIP, there's plenty of room for that to be more impressive. The move to Cedar Rapids will hopefully be fun to watch!

Amick is the Twins' #11 prospect in MLB's rating, #39 for Fangraphs.

https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/twins/billy-amick-701771

Here's hoping he proves the scouting reports to be overly bearish and Amick really takes off.

Thanks for some unbiased info on his fielding. So if you throw out the prospect puppy love you have a guy with a promising bat that can’t run field well or throw. Meaning he will end up being a 1b or dh which means he’s going to have to hit a crap ton to help the Twins. High bar to clear. 

[tony&rodney]

Billy Amick could well be a guy who hits a ton. He may also be a very good add-on in a trade.