Braves Strengthen Infield Depth, Acquire Defensive Specialist Shortstop Nick Allen from Athletics in One-for-One Trade

November 12, 2024

On Monday night, the Braves bolstered their infield depth by acquiring shortstop Nick Allen from the Athletics in exchange for minor league reliever Jared Johnson in a one-for-one trade. With the move, Atlanta’s 40-man roster now stands at 38 players.

Allen, who has already used up his option seasons, likely prompted this trade. Going forward, he must either remain on a major league roster or be removed from the 40-man entirely. With the Rule 5 protection deadline fast approaching, many teams are preparing for roster crunches. Allen has long been known for his defensive prowess at shortstop, but questions have lingered about his ability to hit. So far, his offensive numbers at the big league level have been disappointing, with a career slash line of .209/.254/.283 over 760 plate appearances. While he has received praise for his defensive skills—having also played second and third base—his bat has resulted in a dismal wRC+ of 53.

In the minors, however, Allen has shown far more promise. Over the past two seasons at Triple-A, he has posted a .341/.428/.503 batting line in 541 plate appearances. Though his numbers are likely boosted by the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, they suggest he might have more offensive potential than his major league performance indicates.

Allen’s power is minimal, with just 12 home runs over nearly 200 games at the Triple-A level. However, he does have solid bat-to-ball skills, with a higher-than-average contact rate both in the minors and the majors. This year, he walked more than he struck out at Triple-A, further highlighting his plate discipline. The Braves have previously acquired similar players, such as Nicky Lopez and David Fletcher, though neither spent much time on the MLB roster.

At 26, Allen might have a better chance of sticking with the Braves, especially with Orlando Arcia having struggled offensively this season, posting a .218/.271/.354 line over 602 plate appearances. While Arcia’s production is still better than Allen’s major league numbers, his grip on the shortstop position may not be secure, leaving Atlanta open to exploring potential upgrades.

From the Athletics’ perspective, trading Allen marks a departure from a player who was once seen as one of their top positional prospects. Although disappointing, this move isn’t surprising given Allen’s underwhelming performance at the major league level. The A’s are now looking to other options, such as Jacob Wilson, as their potential long-term solution at shortstop, while Darell Hernaiz has also surpassed Allen in the infield depth chart.

As for Johnson, the 23-year-old spent this season at High-A, where he posted a solid 2.60 ERA over 52 innings. Despite striking out 26.4% of batters, he struggled with walks, issuing nearly 12% free passes. Johnson is seen as a lottery-ticket bullpen prospect who could be exposed in next week’s Rule 5 draft unless the A’s add him to their 40-man roster.

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