Logan Allen

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #14 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Allen has been well traveled since the Red Sox drafted him in 2015 and signed him to an over-slot deal. He was traded that fall to the Padres as a part of the package for Craig Kimbrel and then reached San Diego in June 2019. A month later, he was traded to Cleveland as a part of the three-team deal that sent Trevor Bauer to the Reds. He spent most of 2020 at the alternate training site, but did get a couple stints in Cleveland out of the bullpen.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Allen has a strong frame and a solid four-pitch mix. His fastball velocity ticked up a bit in 2020, averaging 94 mph and regularly reaching 96. His above-average changeup and average slider are his main secondary offerings, and he also will occasionally mix in a fringe-average curveball. He can throw his full arsenal for strikes, but he still needs to refine his command to get the most out of his stuff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Allen's ability to pitch both in the bullpen and rotation is valuable, though he's still looking to establish himself in a role. He'll again be in the mix for a spot on the Indians' staff in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #11 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Allen has been well traveled since the Red Sox drafted him in the eighth round in 2015 and signed him to an over-slot deal. He was traded that fall to the Padres as a part of the package for Craig Kimbrel and then climbed through the minor leagues to reach San Diego in June. He was traded a month later to Cleveland along with Franmil Reyes and Victor Nova a part of the three-team deal that sent Trevor Bauer to the Reds.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Allen has a strong frame and a solid four-pitch mix, and his overall package makes for a potential No. 3 or 4 starter. His fastball sits in the low 90s and can get up to 96 mph in short stints. His changeup is his best secondary offering and it earns plus grades. His slider is an average offering and he'll occasionally mix in a curveball as well. He has average control and can throw his full arsenal for strikes, but he still needs to refine his command at the big league level.
  
  THE FUTURE: He'll probably return to Columbus to start 2020 in the rotation and figures to be one of the first pitchers called up to Cleveland when a need arises.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #8 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Padres targeted Allen in the 2015 draft and got him in a trade five months later, acquiring him from the Red Sox as one of four prospects for Craig Kimbrel. After a slow burn his first two seasons with the Padres, Allen catapulted in 2018. He logged a 2.54 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A as a 21-year-old, winning Texas League pitcher of the year and leading the system in wins (14) and strikeouts (154).
  
  Scouting Report: Though not as flashy as others, the steady Allen is more accomplished than any pitcher in the Padres system. All four of his pitches are competitive major league offerings, and he possesses a warrior mentality with an advanced feel for attacking hitters. Allen comes right at opponents with a 90-93 mph fastball, commanding it to both sides of the plate. His changeup is a plus pitch that dives late for swings and misses over the top. Allen's third pitch is an average slider that has some cut action, and when it's not working he can flip in an effective curveball. Allen throws everything for strikes and became more durable as he improved his pitch efficiency, completing six innings in 16 of 19 starts in 2018.
  
  The Future: Allen's four-pitch mix and durability have him set to log innings at the back of a rotation at the very least. His ML debut should come in 2019.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #8 prospect in 2018
  The Red Sox drafted Allen in the eighth round in 2015, and the Padres acquired him six months later as one of four players exchanged for Craig Kimbrel. Elbow soreness limited Allen in his first year in the Padres system in 2016, but he excelled in 2017 as he reached high Class A Lake Elsinore. At his best, Allen sits 92-94 mph with his fastball and shows off a potential plus changeup and above-average curveball. At other times he's 89-91 mph with just average secondaries. He shows the poise and pitchability to succeed even when his stuff isn't at his best, however. Allen is aggressive with his fastball and establishes it early in games. He complements it with a “Vulcan” grip changeup he holds between his middle and ring finger that dives as it approaches the plate for a swing-and-miss offering. Allen still is trying to find a consistent release point on his hard, slurvy curveball, but he shows flashes of snapping it off. He throws all his pitches for strikes but can get wild in the zone. Allen looks like a mid-rotation starter at his best, but he has to improve his consistency of stuff and iron out his command in the strike zone. He'll head to Double-A San Antonio in 2018.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #19 prospect in 2017
  The Red Sox made Allen a 2015 eighth-round pick out of IMG Academy and signed him for an above-slot $725,000--third-round money--to forgo a South Carolina commitment. The Padres acquired Allen as part of the four-player package for Craig Kimbrel after the 2015 season. Allen's first season in the Padres system was limited by elbow soreness that shelved him for two months in the middle of the year, but he returned to make three starts at low Class A Fort Wayne at the end. Allen works at 90-92 mph with his fastball and touches 94, and he commands it well with a repeatable delivery. He also possesses advanced command of his breaking pitches for a 19-year-old, spinning an above-average curveball and average changeup he can land for strikes. Overall, Allen's solid-average command, deep pitch mix and good tempo on the mound portend a reliable back-of-the-rotation starter. A full season without elbow trouble could help his stuff tick up and go beyond that projection. He will begin 2017 at high Class A Lake Elsinore.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #8 prospect in 2016
  One of four prospects acquired from the Red Sox in the Craig Kimbrel trade, Allen is a native of Asheville, N.C. Prior to his junior year, he transferred to the IMG Academy--the Bradenton, Fla., high school team, and not the post-grad version for which organization-mate Jacob Nix played. Allen's fastball velocity jumped from the upper 80s to the low 90s in 2015, when Boston signed the eighth-rounder for third-round money ($725,000). The Red Sox likened Allen internally to former Red Sox lefthander Jon Lester, for his delivery and body type. Allen won't fill out physically like Lester, and no one suggests he has Lester's ceiling, but he regularly worked at 92-93 mph in his debut. His fastball could develop into an above-average pitch given his ability to repeat his delivery and command it. He showed comfort incorporating his changeup, demonstrated the ability to spin a curveball and threw four pitches for strikes while showing advanced control and potential solid-average big league command. Allen was considered one of the safer bets in the 2015 high school class, though the median projection among evaluators indicates he probably is a command-over-stuff, back-end starter. He is polished enough to spend 2016 at low Class A Fort Wayne.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #128 prospect in 2015 draft
  It was IMG's post-grad team that featured Jacob Nix and, briefly, Brady Aiken that made most of the headlines this spring, but the academy's high school team had several prospects of its own. Allen, a native of Asheville, N.C., who transferred to IMG before his junior year, is the best of the bunch. He has gotten stronger since last summer and has seen his velocity tick up as a result, going from throwing his fastball in the mid to upper 80s to sitting in the low 90s with the pitch. He also tightened his breaking ball and is throwing it with more power, making it look more like a slider. He shows some feel for a changeup and also throws a bigger breaking curveball, giving him a full arsenal. Allen works around the zone and has a good understanding of his craft. He is committed to South Carolina.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Texas League #7 prospect in 2018
  The league’s youngest pitcher on Opening Day, Allen showed the makings of a potential middle-of-the-rotation workhorse. He was one of just five pitchers to notch at least 121 innings, and he did that even with a late-season promotion to Triple-A El Paso. Allen paired his 92-94 mph fastball and plus changeup with potentially plus control to attack hitters, while still refining his breaking ball. Evaluators commented on Allen’s fierce competitiveness on the mound, while also noting his intelligence when working through a lineup multiple times and executing a plan of attack for each individual hitter. That mix of stuff and maturity has Allen in line to reach San Diego as soon as next year.
• 
  Ranked California League #15 prospect in 2017
  Allen entered the Lake Elsinore rotation in July after the promotions of Cal Quantrill, Eric Lauer and Joey Lucchesi to Double-A and delivered similarly strong performance. He pitched to a 2.78 ERA over his first 10 outings in the league before a poor final start inflated his numbers. Allen is still learning to be consistent but flashes promising stuff for a young lefthander. At his best Allen will sit 93-94 mph with his fastball and flash a power breaking ball and a plus changeup. At others he will sit 89-92 mph with a slurvy breaking ball and an average changeup. Allen maintains aggressiveness with his fastball, has solid control and a mature feel to pitch, allowing him to succeed even when he doesn't have his best stuff. Allen's fastball command is still improving and some would like to see him pitch inside with it more. His release point on his breaking ball remains inconsistent, thus the wide gap in the quality of the pitch from game to game. Those improvements are expected to come with time.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #14 prospect in 2017
  The Red Sox bought Allen out of a South Carolina commitment for $725,000 but sent him to the Padres in the 2015 Craig Kimbrel trade. It would have been interesting to have Allen develop in the Red Sox system because the big league comparison most often made is former Boston southpaw Jon Lester. Like Lester, Allen pitches with an edge and is aggressive with his fastball, which can touch 93-94 mph but sits 89-91. Also like Lester, Allen's curveball is a swing-and-miss pitch that scouts call above-average with flashes of plus. Allen's changeup is an average pitch that plays up when he's commanding the fastball for strikes. His slider can get slurvy at times but also flashes plus. Elbow soreness cost Allen two months in 2016 but wasn't an issue in 2017. He needs to be more pitch efficient to go deeper in games, and profiles as a No. 3 or No. 4 starter if he can achieve consistent command.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #92 prospect in 2019

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Allen has been well traveled since the Red Sox drafted him in 2015 and signed him to an over-slot deal. He was traded that fall to the Padres as a part of the package for Craig Kimbrel and then reached San Diego in June 2019. A month later, he was traded to Cleveland as a part of the three-team deal that sent Trevor Bauer to the Reds. He spent most of 2020 at the alternate training site, but did get a couple stints in Cleveland out of the bullpen.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Allen has a strong frame and a solid four-pitch mix. His fastball velocity ticked up a bit in 2020, averaging 94 mph and regularly reaching 96. His above-average changeup and average slider are his main secondary offerings, and he also will occasionally mix in a fringe-average curveball. He can throw his full arsenal for strikes, but he still needs to refine his command to get the most out of his stuff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Allen's ability to pitch both in the bullpen and rotation is valuable, though he's still looking to establish himself in a role. He'll again be in the mix for a spot on the Indians' staff in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Allen has been well traveled since the Red Sox drafted him in 2015 and signed him to an over-slot deal. He was traded that fall to the Padres as a part of the package for Craig Kimbrel and then reached San Diego in June 2019. A month later, he was traded to Cleveland as a part of the three-team deal that sent Trevor Bauer to the Reds. He spent most of 2020 at the alternate training site, but did get a couple stints in Cleveland out of the bullpen.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Allen has a strong frame and a solid four-pitch mix. His fastball velocity ticked up a bit in 2020, averaging 94 mph and regularly reaching 96. His above-average changeup and average slider are his main secondary offerings, and he also will occasionally mix in a fringe-average curveball. He can throw his full arsenal for strikes, but he still needs to refine his command to get the most out of his stuff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Allen's ability to pitch both in the bullpen and rotation is valuable, though he's still looking to establish himself in a role. He'll again be in the mix for a spot on the Indians' staff in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Allen has been well traveled since the Red Sox drafted him in the eighth round in 2015 and signed him to an over-slot deal. He was traded that fall to the Padres as a part of the package for Craig Kimbrel and then climbed through the minor leagues to reach San Diego in June. He was traded a month later to Cleveland along with Franmil Reyes and Victor Nova a part of the three-team deal that sent Trevor Bauer to the Reds.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Allen has a strong frame and a solid four-pitch mix, and his overall package makes for a potential No. 3 or 4 starter. His fastball sits in the low 90s and can get up to 96 mph in short stints. His changeup is his best secondary offering and it earns plus grades. His slider is an average offering and he’ll occasionally mix in a curveball as well. He has average control and can throw his full arsenal for strikes, but he still needs to refine his command at the big league level.
  
  THE FUTURE: He’ll probably return to Columbus to start 2020 in the rotation and figures to be one of the first pitchers called up to Cleveland when a need arises.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Allen has been well traveled since the Red Sox drafted him in the eighth round in 2015 and signed him to an over-slot deal. He was traded that fall to the Padres as a part of the package for Craig Kimbrel and then climbed through the minor leagues to reach San Diego in June. He was traded a month later to Cleveland along with Franmil Reyes and Victor Nova a part of the three-team deal that sent Trevor Bauer to the Reds.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Allen has a strong frame and a solid four-pitch mix, and his overall package makes for a potential No. 3 or 4 starter. His fastball sits in the low 90s and can get up to 96 mph in short stints. His changeup is his best secondary offering and it earns plus grades. His slider is an average offering and he'll occasionally mix in a curveball as well. He has average control and can throw his full arsenal for strikes, but he still needs to refine his command at the big league level.
  
  THE FUTURE: He'll probably return to Columbus to start 2020 in the rotation and figures to be one of the first pitchers called up to Cleveland when a need arises.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Allen rolled an ankle shagging fly balls during batting practice in early June and missed three weeks, but returned at the end of the month and has continued a dominant run through Double-A. Allen has smoothed out his delivery and made it less herky-jerky, helping him throw his three above-average pitches for strikes more consistently and be more pitch efficient. As such, he leads the Texas League in strikeouts (113), and has lasted six or more innings in 12 of his last 13 starts.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Red Sox drafted Allen in the eighth round in 2015, and the Padres acquired him six months later as one of four players exchanged for Craig Kimbrel. Elbow soreness limited Allen in 2016, but he excelled in 2017 as he reached high Class A Lake Elsinore. Scouting Report: At his best, Allen sits 92-94 mph with his fastball and shows off a potential plus changeup and above-average curveball. At other times he's 89-91 mph with just average secondaries. He shows the poise to succeed even when his stuff isn't at his best, however. Allen is aggressive with his fastball and establishes it early in games. He complements it with a "Vulcan" grip changeup he holds between his middle and ring finger that dives as it approaches the plate for a swing-and-miss offering. Allen still is trying to find a consistent release point on his hard, slurvy curveball, but he shows flashes of snapping it off. He throws all his pitches for strikes but can get wild in the zone. The Future: Allen looks like a mid-rotation starter at his best but has to improve his consistency of stuff and iron out his command in the strike zone. He'll head to Double-A San Antonio in 2018.