The three-year Nick Allen experience is officially over and it still never took off offensively
Not much more can be said about Nick Allen that already hasn’t been ranted in an AN thread. The middle infielder and former top prospect from San Diego struggled offensively at the big league level again and spent most of his 2024 in the minors. Now, as of just three weeks ago, Allen is the newest member of the Atlanta Braves as he was acquired for RHP Jared Johnson.
How was he acquired?
The A’s drafted Allen in the third-round (81st overall) of the 2017 MLB Draft straight out of high school. Allen debuted for the A’s five years later in 2022 as a known defensive specialist but his bat has never been able to follow.
What were the expectations?
The A’s Opening Day shortstop, Allen had first dibs at retaining the job despite a few seasons of offensive struggles. Allen also entered the season with just a singular minor league option remaining so 2024 really felt like a make-or-break year for the 26-year-old. With middle infielders like Darell Hernaiz, Jacob Wilson and more knocking at the door throughout the season, Allen would lose his job quickly.
2024 Results
As mentioned prior Allen began the season as Oakland’s starting shortstop but he’d last just 41 games slashing .175/.216/.247 with 17 hits on the season in 97 at-bats. Allen spent the majority of May-August in Triple-A Las Vegas where he had a solid .345 average and .431 OBP through 81 games but with Max Schuemann providing more on the offensive side in Oakland and the youth movement of Hernaiz and Wilson there simply just wasn’t a consistent role for Allen anymore. That, and a .254 career on-base percentage in three years of playing in the green and gold certainly didn’t help.
After spending his entire summer in Las Vegas while also enduring a stint on the injured-list, Allen ended 2024 in the big leagues where he slashed .174 through 23 at-bats in the month of September. Allen was traded on November 11th to Atlanta for Johnson who had a solid 2024 in High-A Rome as the Braves 20th overall prospect.
2025 Results
With Wilson looking to be the shortstop of the future and guys like Hernaiz, Schuemann and more as options it was time for Allen to go.
As of now Allen projects to be a bench piece and defensive blanket for a Braves team that’s had their middle infield of Orlando Arcia and Ozzie Albies set for years but at some point Allen has to breakthrough offensively at the MLB level if he wants to stay. As 2024 proved in Las Vegas he has the capability to do so but it’s time for him to elevate from being a “quad-four” player to a big league talent if he ever wants to see consistent action at the MLB level.
