In June of last year, Kyle Amendt pitched the eighth inning for Dallas Baptist University in the 2023 NCAA Stillwater Regional. The Patriots’ season ended that night - losing to Oral Roberts’ Golden Eagles - and so did the playing careers of many players from both sides. But for Amendt, 24, his baseball career was on the verge of a breakthrough.
The following month, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected the right-hander in the ninth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Now, hardly a year later, the Iowa native is in Triple-A after tallying fewer than 50 innings pitched in pro ball. Amendt’s ascent through the minor-league ranks has been rather quick, though it makes sense based on the numbers he’s put up so far along the way.
Amendt’s pro career began in the Arizona Complex League, where he struck out all four batters he faced in his lone appearance at the Rookie level. He finished out his ‘23 campaign in Low-A with the Visalia Rawhide, facing more advanced competition, though the hitters he faced still struggled greatly. In 10 relief appearances, he didn’t allow a run while striking out a whopping 21 of the 43 batters he faced (49% strikeout rate). The punchies came with some walks, though, as nine of those batters reached base on balls (21% walk rate).
The 6-5, 237 pounder continued to overpower hitters in 2024, beginning the year in High-A with the Hillsboro Hops while also limiting the walks. In 11 appearances, Amendt faced 51 batters, and more than half (27) went down on strikes, while just two walked and three collected hits. All his outings were scoreless except for one, when the runner scored in the ninth and final inning of a three-inning relief appearance by Amendt - the only time he’s been tasked with such a thing.
Amendt spent just over a month in Visalia before getting promoted again, headed to Double-A Amarillo. He allowed multiple runs in three of his 17 outings with the Sod Poodles, though overally, he still excelled - 30 of the 72 batters he faced struck out, and just 18 reached base for a .222 on-base percentage (OBP).
Diamondbacks relief prospect Kyle Amendt on the rise
Triple-A looks like the first real challenge Amendt has encountered in the minor leagues. In his debut with the Reno Aces, Amendt was called on to close out a 8-7 lead for Reno against the Tacoma Rainiers. He gave up two consecutive hits before Dominic Canzone, a former Diamondback, hit a go-ahead two-run home run to give the Raiders a late lead. The Aces couldn’t come back in the bottom half of the ninth, charging Amendt with a blown save and loss in his Triple-A debut.
Three nights later, Amendt was called on in another close game versus Tacoma. He retired the side with two punchouts in the seventh, but walked back-to-back hitters to start the eighth before getting pulled. Relief pitcher Joe Jacques inherited the runners, who both went on to score, charging Amendt with his second straight loss.
Amendt’s remarkable run to start his pro career ended in Triple-A, but his career totals remain unparalleled across the league. There have been 3,059 pitchers to have thrown at least 40 total innings in the minors since last year, and Amendt’s whopping 47.1% overall strikeout rate ranks first. That rate dipped moderately to 41.7% in Double-A, which could suggest another dip in his K rate is in store in Triple-A.
Arizona has been cruising lately, winning 28 of their last 38 for a league-leading .737 W-L% since June 28, and the bullpen has played a big part in the team's hot stretch. Amendt is not on the 40-man roster, so he’ll likely stick in Triple-A for the rest of the year, though he could factor into the bullpen mix soon if he turns around his rough start with the Aces. Relievers like Paul Sewald and Dylan Floro are set to become free agents after this season, and minor-league reliever Scott McGough has a $4 million mutual option in his contract that’ll likely get declined by the club, so a few spots will open up in the 'pen this offseason.