The Braves got an infielder Nick Allen from Athletics, according to announcements from both clubs. A minor league right fielder Jared Johnson heads the other way. Allen was on the 40-man roster, so Atlanta’s count goes up to 38 while the Athletics drop to 34.
Allen, 26, has used up his options, which may be what inspired him. Moving forward, he needs to be on the active roster or removed from the 40 man altogether. All teams will soon face roster conflicts, with the Rule 5 defense deadline just one week away, which could lead to some guys getting squeezed.
As a prospect, Allen received a lot of attention for his glove work. The question was whether he would hit or not. He certainly hasn’t produced a single bat at the major league level thus far, currently sporting a .209/.254/.283 line in his 760 plate appearances. He received strong reviews for his shortstop defense, and spent some time at second and third base, but that offensive production translated to a wRC+ of just 53.
The results of the juniors have been very encouraging. Over the past two years, Allen has stepped to the plate 541 times at the Triple-A level, resulting in a .341/.428/.503 batting line and a 136 wRC+. Given the strength of his glove work, he could be a useful contributor if he can bridge the gap between his major league and minor league hitting.
More to come.
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