Braves Acquire Nick Allen – MLB Trade Rumors

The Braves acquired an infielder Nick Allen from athletics, according to statements from both clubs. Minor league right-handed pitcher Jared Johnson goes in the other direction. Allen was on the 40-man roster, bringing Atlanta’s number to 38 while the Athletics’ number drops to 34.

The 26-year-old Allen has exhausted his option seasons, which is likely the reason for this move. In the future, he must either be in an active squad or be removed from the 40-man squad entirely. All teams will soon face roster issues with the Rule 5 protection deadline just over a week away, which may result in some players coming under pressure.

As a prospect, Allen received a lot of attention for his glove work. The question was whether he would score or not. He certainly hasn’t performed well with the bat at the major league level yet, as he currently has a batting line of .209/.254/.283 in his 760 plate appearances. He has received good reviews for his shortstop defense and also spent time at second and third base, but that offensive performance results in a wRC+ of just 53.

The results in the minors were far more encouraging. Over the past two years, Allen appeared 541 times at the Triple-A level, resulting in a .341/.428/.503 batting line and a 136 wRC+. Given the strength of his gloves, he could be a useful contributor if he can somewhat close the gap between his major league and minor league hits.

More will follow.