Athletics Spy Leadoff Potential In Nick Allen

What surprised the Athletics most about 19-year-old shortstop Nick Allen was not his superior defensive abilities, nor his skills with the bat. It was his maturity.

“He’s like an old soul,” farm director Keith Lieppman said. “He’s mature beyond his years. He’s not like most high school players who sign. He’s more like a college player coming into camp.”

Allen made a big impression at instructional league, which concluded in mid-October, after Oakland selected him in the third round in this year’s draft out of the Parker School in San Diego. He signed for an above-slot $2 million.

“He’s very fluid, very instinctual,” Lieppman said. “He has no fear. He has that attitude that he’s going to catch every ball and make plays that can’t be made. It’s good, almost to a fault. He’ll have to be focused on making the routine play. It’s all there—it’s just learning how to use it.”

Lieppman said Allen has enough arm to stick at shortstop, and that will remain his position. Much of instructs was spent helping him learn the role.

“A lot of it is being more concise,” Allen said, “especially with making the routine plays and working on my backhand.”

What also excites the A’s is that Allen is being developed as a leadoff-type hitter, something the big league club lacks

“I think I could be a leadoff hitter or No. 2 hitter,” Allen said. “There are days here I could be a three hitter.”

Allen focused in camp on hitting low line drives and finding gaps rather than attempting to loft the ball in the air.

“The better he gets with his eye and his selectivity, the better he will be,” Lieppman said. “He runs well and looks like he can steal bases. He’s got that M.O. of a guy at the top of the order. He’s going to get stronger and more mature as he gets going. He’s pretty powerful in a small body.”

At 5-foot-9, Allen is on the short side for baseball, but diminutive stars like Dustin Pedroia and Jose Altuve have helped alter perceptions. Now, Allen will be following his own course.

A’s ACORNS

• The A’s named shortstop Jesus Lage and second baseman Ryan Gridley the co-winners of their annual grinder award, which rewards players who exemplify leadership and devotion to improvement at instructional league. The pitching version of the award—called the Welchy after the late Bob Welch—went to lefty Dalton Sawyer.

• The A’s re-signed Triple-A Nashville catcher Beau Taylor in October, about a month before he would have qualified as a minor league free agent. He has shown great development and could challenge for a big league job in 2018.