The D-Backs signed lefty Logan Allen to a minor league contract yesterday, according to an announcement from their Triple-A team in Reno. He’ll be in big league camp as a non-roster Spring Training invitee.
Allen, 26, is the older of the two Logan Allens with MLB experience. As with the current Guardians starter of the same name, he was once a fairly well-regarded prospect in the Cleveland farm system. The 26-year-old Allen has yet to find much MLB success, however. Over three seasons in Cleveland, he pitched to a 5.45 ERA in 69 1/3 innings. The Guardians waived him in May 2022, where he was nabbed by the Orioles.
He made three relief appearances before Baltimore outrighted him from the 40-man roster. Those are Allen’s most recent MLB outings. He has spent the past year and a half in Triple-A. After finishing the 2022 campaign with the O’s, he split last year with the top affiliates of the Rockies and Mariners.
Allen struggled mightily with Colorado’s highest minor league team, allowing a 7.20 ERA through 45 frames. He found slightly better results after signing with Seattle around the All-Star Break. Over 14 appearances (10 starts) in the Mariner organization, he allowed 4.66 earned runs per nine innings. His 19.1% strikeout rate and 10.9% walk percentage over that stretch were still worse than average, however. That has generally been the case over parts of five Triple-A seasons, where Allen has a 6.04 ERA.
While he hasn’t found extended success in either the majors or Triple-A, Allen’s results up through Double-A were excellent. Evaluators credited him with an above-average to plus changeup during his time as a prospect. He’s a non-roster depth option who could start or work in long relief with the Aces to open the 2024 campaign.
If that had said “Logan Gilbert” I would have been a little perturbed. I almost had a heart murmur.
“Homer Simpson shudder”
Yikes. Extremely lucky he is still in affiliated ball.
After this season maybe Logan can look into making a trip overseas to Japan or South Korea pick up a thing or two and come back to America a new pitcher.
Definitely young enough to do it.
Key piece in the Trevor Bauer, Yasiel Puig, Taylor Trammell, Franmil Reyes trade
Craig Kimbrel
2018 this guy pitched to a 1.63 ERA in 5 starts at AAA El Paso. Most of the posters here know that league is a ridiculous hitters league. This was after a little over 2 in his AA starts. Top 50 prospect, can’t miss mid rotation floor guy.
Ok, im watching this guy in ST and all of a sudden, he can’t get anyone out – period. See his 2019 on stats. Included in the trade referenced by Brew and just went down the drain.
Something happened to this guy that hasn’t been explained.
He was in that vaunted SD SP prospects group of about 8-10 guys. Basically, only Gore has panned out (guys still young though – looking at you Patina) and even Gore was a can’t miss 1 they may only be a solid 3.
Good luck to him.
I read a former pitcher say once that all it takes to lose your stuff is one bad offseason. As you age, it could take you years to get back what you lose in 3-4 months of inactivity or not enough activity.
Funny how that works isn’t it? Those 8-10 guys were the next great thing coming in the youth movement after Preller unloaded the guys he got in 2015. And the guys that came over with Allen were hyped. How many of those guys are still around?
Yeah, I was only thinking of the pitchers but add:
Mejia; Urias; Trammell just to name a few of the top of my head.
As much as I’d hate to see any of the current top 6 traded (mostly 2025 ready) for a quality 2024 SP (Luzardo/Cease), this review just proves that “prospects are suspects” and you just can’t fall in love with them.
Why do teams keep going after this guy? He’s essentially a AA-player at best.
Cause at the moment he only costs a minor league contract and I’m sure the Diamondbacks will do what they can to fix him and turn him into a mlb pitcher or else as dept in the minors.
Left handed maybe. Being a lefty still attracts teams.
Why wouldn’t they? They signed him to a Minor league deal, it’s as low risk as you can get. If they see anything that they are able to fix in his mechanics, that’s all a bonus.
He’s had success at AAA level. I’m just taking a stab in the dark here, but looking at his stats he become really prone to giving up HRs starting in 2019 and got worse from there. Obviously most pitchers at all levels were impacted by juiced balls in 2019. In AAA HRs rose by 60%. Now imagine how many pitchers especially those trying to crack MLB were making adjustments before all the data on juiced balls emerged.
Not saying he is clearly fixable. But unfortunately looking at stats nowadays, we have to account for the juiced ball in 2019 as well as shortened 2020 or lack thereof a 2020 for MiLB.
Some of the prospects obviously overcame those obstacles, some still will, and some likely had their careers permanently altered. Despite the unfortunate series of events in those years, all things were equal for MiLB prospects trying to emerge. Those who managed to get on a 2020 MLB roster are the few who gained any advantage.
That said hopefully Logan Allen can find some of the success he had back in 2018 and stopped getting clubbed like a baby seal for HRs.
Organizational depth. Yawn.
Could they be traded for each other? That would beat the Tanner R. for Tanner R. trade, but not by much since Tanner’s a slightly less common first name than Logan.
Why? This guy sucks.
The man bun dude.
Logan I hear is working out with Roger Beshens learning that “Roger Beshens Football Slider” the one he introduced to dozens of ML pitchers in May 2018 on Twitter. Brandon McCarthy asked Roger Beshens how to throw it May 29 and used it June 2 2108 vs Nat’s. 34 K’s in that game Jesse Biddle whiffed 8 in 3 IP that’s how Roger Beshens got known and the Sweeper is his football slider thrown from a lower arm angle, anyway Roger is teaching Logan the perfect Grip, Tilt and Wrist action so it won’t be a watered down football slider. The only question is will Logan do the over the top vertical drop Roger Beshens football slider or will he tik oown some and get the Andrew Miller like sweeping sweeper like slider.
We are watching 600 ML pitchers throwing Andrew Miller slider from ALL ARM angles since May 2018.
After what I just told you here MLB should be calling it the “Roger Beshens
Football Slider”
Roger Beshens football slider in On center grip, throw like football, stiff wrist.