Billy Bullock

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #24 prospect in 2013
  Acquired from the Twins before the 2011 season as compensation for Rule 5 pickup Scott Diamond, Bullock has stalled in Double-A with the Braves. They thought he might be on the verge of the big leagues heading into 2012, but he struggled for most of the season and got knocked around when he got to Triple-A in mid-June. He had trouble finding a consistent feel for his release point, which hurt the effectiveness of his secondary pitches. In one four-game stretch in July, he allowed 16 earned runs in six innings. A closer at Florida, Bullock has a fearless approach on the mound and will challenge hitters and work inside with his 92-94 mph fastball. He uses his height to throw on a downhill plane. He tends to lose the feel for his slider and below-average changeup, however. Scouts say Bullock has the potential to be a set-up man in the majors if he gets more consistent. Atlanta was encouraged with the way he finished the season after going back down to Mississippi, and hopes he can maintain that momentum when he opens this year at Gwinnett. The Braves declined to protect him on their 40-man roster, however.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #24 prospect in 2012
  After the Twins took Scott Diamond from the Braves in the 2010 major league Rule 5 draft but decided against keeping him on their big league roster, they traded Bullock to Atlanta for Diamond. Bullock overpowered Double-A hitters, limiting them to a .193 average while striking out 11.8 per nine innings, but he also struggled at times with his control. He uses his size to throw on a downhill plane, working mainly with a heavy 92-94 mph fastball with some armside run. His feel for his slider comes and goes. It resides in the low 80s with hard, late cut at its best but often becomes slurvy and hangs up in the zone. Bullock has tried to add a changeup during his first two full pro seasons but has yet to find any consistency with that offering as well. He has the makeup of a closer in that he's not afraid to challenge hitters and can put poor performances in the past, though he doesn't quite have the stuff. A probable set-up man, he'll open the 2012 season in Triple-A and could receive his first big league callup later in the year.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #15 prospect in 2011
  With their bullpen in flux, the Twins have internal options if they can't find help on the free-agent market. They include Bullock, who has one of the system's better arms and reached Double-A in 2010, his first full pro season. Despite pitching on poor teams, he ranked 11th in the minors with 27 saves, and his 105 strikeouts placed fourth among minor league relievers who didn't start a game. Bullock's velocity took a dive during instructional league in 2009, but he bumped his fastball back to 92-94 mph last year, touching 95 regularly. He drives his fastball downhill and has some armside run when he's at his best. Bullock lacked the fastball command and feel for pitching to succeed as a starter in college, which is when he moved to the bullpen, and his command remains an issue. His slider has its moments where it's a low-80s pitch with depth and power, though it can get slurvy at times. He also throws a changeup on occasion. Bullock isn't efficient and can give up some big innings, but he has the short memory and repertoire required for late-inning work. He could factor into Minnesota's mix in 2011, though he'll have to improve his command to be the club's future closer.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #15 prospect in 2010
  The Twins have had success of late drafting college relievers, getting big league contributions from the likes of Pat Neshek and Jesse Crain, and strong early returns from 2008 first-rounder Carlos Gutierrez. Bullock is a bit different, with a physical 6-foot-6 frame and a bigger fastball. He was a tease throughout his college career and didn't have consistent success until his junior season, when Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan--a former Twins minor league pitching coach--shifted him into the closer role. Bullock led the Gators to the NCAA super-regionals, where he lost a lead to Southern Mississippi. He gathered himself and had a strong pro debut after signing for $522,000 as a second-round pick. Bullocke's fastball sits at 93-95 mph, peaks at 97-98 and can have explosive late life up in the zone when he's at his best. He changes hitters' eye level with a hard slider that made significant progress in 2009, as he added depth and tilt to the pitch. Both could be plus-plus pitches, though his command would have to improve markedly for that to happen. Bullock was homer-prone in college but overwhelmed lower-level hitters in his debut. He was gassed in instructional league, when his velocity dipped to around 90 mph. His fastball is one of the system's best in terms of velocity, giving him a chance to rocket through the system. He'll start his first full pro season in Fort Myers, about two hours south of where he went to high school in the Tampa area.