Blue Jays – A potential first round pick in Tennessee third baseman Billy Amick

With the first round of the MLB draft set to begin on the evening of July 14th, it remains to be seen which direction the Blue Jays intend to go when it comes to restocking the farm system.

After drafting high schoolers with their first pick the last two years (Brandon Barriera in 2022, Arjun Nimmala in 2023), we’ll see if the Jays go back to the college well this season. Before Barriera, Toronto had taken a college player with their first pick in the first round in nine of the previous 10 drafts (Jordan Groshans – 2018).

A college bat that the Blue Jays may have their eyes on is recent College World Series champion Billy Amick.

The third baseman was a bit of a late bloomer after starting his collegiate career at Clemson. After not playing much in 2022, Amick exploded to the tune of a 1.236 OPS through 46 games in 2023, working primarily as a first baseman and designated hitter. He was also able to maintain an OPS north of 1.000 in the Cape Cod league last summer with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, building up draft hype heading into 2024.

The 6-foot-1 infielder wanted a chance to start at the hot corner, so he transferred to Tennessee for the 2024 season after two seasons suiting up for the Tigers. His 23 home runs and improved plate discipline put him firmly into the first-round conversation as the season concluded and it didn’t hurt that the Mooresville, North Carolina native was featured on national television over the last few weeks as the Volunteers took home the national championship. Although it may be down the list as far as importance when evaluating a prospect, ending his collegiate career with a championship is a nice feather in Amick’s cap.

Amick’s aggressiveness at the plate can be an asset, but can also lead to him chasing pitches outside of the zone. His walk rate improved from 6.7% in 2022 to 9.9% in 2023, but his plate discipline would be something to monitor as a pro. There is also at least some doubt whether he will be able to hold up defensively at third base but scouts praise his work ethic and he should get a shot to man the hot corner once he turns pro. At worst, he may have to move to first base while teams bank on his plus bat moving him up the minor league ladder. Amick is currently ranked at #32 on the MLB Pipeline pre-draft rankings.

An important draft is upcoming for a Blue Jays team that has yet to fully commit to competing or rebuilding heading into the trade deadline. Regardless of what they decide to do with certain veteran players on the roster, they’ll need to make sure to hit on their early picks in the 2024 draft. Billy Amick would have a good chance to come in and be one of the most exciting hitting prospects in the Blue Jays organization.