Kyle Amendt Shows Mental Toughness in AFL Bounce-Back Outing
A key trait necessary for a reliever to succeed at the major league level is flushing a bad game and bouncing back next time out.
SCOTTSDALE – A key trait necessary for a reliever to succeed at the major league level is flushing a bad game and bouncing back next time out. Diamondbacks pitcher Kyle Amendt showcased that in Tuesday's win over Glendale.
His first outing in the Arizona Fall League was a total meltdown. With the help of shaky defense behind him, Amendt surrendered four runs to Scottsdale in two-thirds of an inning. Next time out, he struck out the side in 15 pitches. One of those hitters was Nacho Alvarez Jr., who carries 66 games of major league experience.
"You have a bad outing, you got to bounce back," said Amendt. "The biggest thing for me was just owning the strike zone a little more. I did that this last outing, it really helped."
What made that outing even more impressive was he was unable to command his curveball. All four he threw that day badly missed the strike zone. But he was able to command his slider, with all four generating a called strike or a whiff. At the start of the Fall League, Amendt talked about being able to use that slider as a "bridge pitch" on days he didn't have command of his four-seamer or curveball.
Another aspect that helped Amendt dominate in that innings was that his fastball was coming in hot that day. Against Glendale, he averaged 93.2 MPH on the four-seamer. He only had one appearance in all of 2025 where he averaged over 93 MPH in a game. That was May 4th, when he clocked an average fastball velocity of 93.3 MPH against Sacramento.
The big right-hander averaged 91.2 MPH with Reno in 2025. He already possesses a big-riding fastball, averaging 19" of induced vertical break in two outings. However, the velocity difference of 91 vs. 93 means a lot at the major league level. Amendt talked about the ball coming out differently in his second appearance compared to his first.
"Yeah, it was. It was definitely a different feeling this last time. It felt really good, so looking to build on that."
Pitching Under ABS
Kyle Amendt is no stranger to the Automated Ball/Strike System. He's pitched under it in two seasons at Triple-A Reno and the Fall League, so he has plenty of experience. Amendt says he likes getting those corner calls where the ball just barely nips the strike zone.
At the same time, he's been on the mound where a pitch just barely eludes the strike zone. In his outing against Glendale, he missed the strike zone with a 92.3 MPH four-seamer by 0.1" inches. Catcher Johanfran Garcia challenged the ball call, only for it to get confirmed by that margin.
"It is frustrating when you get a call on a pitch, they challenge it, and it's actually a ball. It's what [Major League Baseball] is trying to do; it is what it is."
In Thursday's game, there was a challenge where a ball call was upheld by less than that margin. It wasn't too surprising for Amendt, who may carry the most experience in the entire fall circuit in terms of dealing with it.
"If it's truly a ball, it's truly a ball. So it's not touching, it's not a strike, it is what it is."
Family Support
For a professional baseball player, the road to the major leagues can be a difficult path. Having a strong support system, especially from the family, can often make the grind more bearable.
Amendt talked about the support he's gotten from his family.
"Just amazing, they're the best. My parents got in tonight and my wife's coming out tomorrow. [I'm] very excited to see them."
