Nick Allen (infielder)

Nicholas Ryan Allen (born October 8, 1998) is an American professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics. He made his MLB debut in 2022.

Nick Allen
Allen with the Las Vegas Aviators
Atlanta Braves
Shortstop / Second baseman
Born: (1998-10-08) October 8, 1998 (age 26)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 19, 2022, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.209
Home runs9
Runs batted in43
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo Team

Amateur career

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Allen attended Francis Parker School in San Diego, California, where he played baseball.[1] During his freshman year, he committed to play college baseball at the University of Southern California.[2][3] As a junior in 2016, he slashed .469/.570/.816.[4] In 2017, his senior year, Allen hit .297 with two home runs, ten doubles, and 23 stolen bases.[5] For his high school career, he had a fielding percentage of .963.[5] After his senior year, he was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the third round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[6][7][8] He signed for $2 million.[9][10]

Professional career

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Oakland Athletics

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After signing with Oakland, Allen made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Arizona League Athletics, hitting .254 with one home run and 14 RBI over 35 games. Allen spent the 2018 season with the Beloit Snappers of the Single–A Midwest League with whom he batted .239 with 34 RBI and 24 stolen bases over 121 games.[11] In 2019, he began the year with the Stockton Ports of the High–A California League with whom he was named an All-Star.[12][13] He was placed on the injured list in late June after suffering a leg injury, and missed the remainder of the season.[14] Over 72 games with Stockton, Allen slashed .292/.363/.434 with three home runs, 25 RBI, and 13 stolen bases.[15] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox following the season.[16] Allen did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[17]

To begin the 2021 season, Allen was assigned to the Midland RockHounds of the Double-A Central.[18] He was placed on the temporarily inactive list twice during the season while participating in Olympic competition.[19] After returning from the Olympics in mid-August, Allen was promoted to the Las Vegas Aviators of the Triple-A West.[20] Over 89 games played between the two clubs, Allen slashed .288/.346/.403 with six home runs, 41 RBI, and 12 stolen bases.[21] On November 19, 2021, Oakland added Allen to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[22] He returned to Las Vegas to begin the 2022 season.[23]

On April 18, 2022, Allen was added to Oakland's roster as a COVID-related substitute.[24] He made his major league debut the next day as the starting second baseman.[25] On April 22, he collected his first career hit, a single off of Baltimore Orioles reliever Dillon Tate.[26] On June 21, Allen hit his first major league home run, a two-run shot off of Seattle Mariners starter Marco Gonzales.[27] In 100 games during his season, he slashed .207/.256/.291 with four home runs, 19 RBI, and three stolen bases.[28]

Allen made 106 appearances for Oakland in 2023, batting .221/.263/.287 with four home runs, 20 RBI, and five stolen bases.[29] He played in 41 contests for Oakland in 2024, hitting .175/.216/.247 with one home run and four RBI.[30]

Atlanta Braves

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On November 11, 2024, Allen was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor league pitcher Jared Johnson.[31]

International career

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Allen competed for a spot on the United States national baseball team in advance of the 2020 Summer Olympics and was subsequently named to the roster of the national team for the Americas Qualifying Event.[32][33] After the national team qualified, he was named to the Olympics roster on July 2.[34] Following the Olympic competition, during which the United States won a silver medal,[35] Allen was named Best Defensive Player.[36] For the tournament, he batted .286 with three extra-base hits.[37]

Personal

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Allen is married to Savannah Boone, daughter of former professional baseball player Bret Boone.[38]

References

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  1. ^ Lockard, Melissa (June 25, 2019). "A's prospect Nick Allen is a wizard on the field and one of the most underrated prospects in baseball". The Athletic. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  2. ^ Posted by California Baseball Academy USA on October 14, 2013 at 7:00pm; Feed, View the News. "2017 Grad Nick Allen Commits to USC". www.cbabaseball.org.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "A skilled high school shortstop: Nick Allen". The 3rd Man In. March 29, 2017.
  4. ^ "Know Nick Allen's Name: Scouting San Diego's Best Prospect – East Village Times". eastvillagetimes.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Maffei, John (June 13, 2017). "Parker shortstop says it's 'relief' to be taken by A's". Hartford Courant. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  6. ^ "USC baseball commit Nick Allen drafted in third round". June 13, 2017.
  7. ^ "USC commit Nick Allen drafted in 3rd round by Oakland". Los Angeles Daily News. June 13, 2017.
  8. ^ "A's snag pair of infielders in varied Day 2". MLB.com.
  9. ^ Slusser, Susan (July 1, 2017). "A's ink high-school star Nick Allen, LSU's Deichmann". San Francisco Chronicle.
  10. ^ Slusser, Susan (July 1, 2017). "A's ink high-school star Nick Allen, LSU's Deichmann". Laredo Morning Times.
  11. ^ Tefertiller, Casey (March 25, 2019). "Athletics' Nick Allen Looking To Improve Prior To Year Two". www.baseballamerica.com.
  12. ^ Maffei, John. "Minor league report: Locals featured in All-Star baseball games". mcall.com.
  13. ^ "Gore, Castro lead Cal League All-Star rosters". MiLB.com.
  14. ^ Lockard, Melissa. "A's minor-league notebook: Injuries strike key prospects, but the Ports are still finding ways to win". The New York Times.
  15. ^ "Allen named A's best defensive prospect for 2021 by MLB.com". RSN.
  16. ^ Norris, Josh (August 28, 2019). "2019 Arizona Fall League Rosters Announced". www.baseballamerica.com.
  17. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com.
  18. ^ Lockard, Melissa. "Oakland A's 2021 minor-league preview: Tyler Soderstrom begins in Stockton, Nick Allen in Midland". The New York Times.
  19. ^ "Athletics prospect Nick Allen looks to play in Tokyo Olympics".
  20. ^ "Aviators® announce roster additions with OF Khris Davis & INF Nick Allen, Team USA Baseball Silver Medalist in Tokyo Olympics".
  21. ^ Lockard, Melissa. "A's 2021 minor-league All-Stars: Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler, Nick Allen and more". The New York Times.
  22. ^ "A's add five players to 40-man roster". MLB.com.
  23. ^ "Aviators' opening day roster breakdown | Las Vegas Review-Journal". Reviewjournal.com. April 4, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  24. ^ Franco, Anthony (April 18, 2022). "A's Place Six Players On COVID IL, Promote Three Players". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  25. ^ Killion, Ann (April 19, 2022). "A's Nick Allen makes major-league debut". Sfchronicle.com. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  26. ^ "Nick Allen records first career MLB hit, first run". athleticsnation.com. April 22, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  27. ^ "Nick Allen's first career homer | 06/21/2022". MLB.com.
  28. ^ "Nick Allen 2022 batting Stats Per Game - MLB". espn.com. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  29. ^ "Nick Allen 2023 batting Stats Per Game - MLB". espn.com. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  30. ^ "Nick Allen 2024 batting Stats Per Game - MLB". espn.com. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  31. ^ "A's trade infielder Nick Allen to Braves for minor league pitcher". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  32. ^ "RockHounds' Allen named to USA Baseball's Olympic qualifying team". May 26, 2021.
  33. ^ "Team USA Announces Olympic Qualifying Roster". usabaseball.com. May 30, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  34. ^ "USA Baseball announces Olympics roster". MLB.com. July 2, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  35. ^ "Baseball/Softball - United States vs Japan - Gold Medal Game Results". olympics.com. August 7, 2021. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  36. ^ "Top Oakland A's prospect earns honors at Tokyo Olympics". August 7, 2021.
  37. ^ "Top Oakland A's prospect earns honors at Tokyo Olympics". August 7, 2021.
  38. ^ "Play Ball: San Diegan Nick Allen is on the Brink of Big Things".
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