D-backs Prospect Profile: 1B Brandon Allen
Name: Brandon Allen
Draft: 5th Round of the 2004 Draft (White Sox)
Position: First Base
DOB: 1/12/1986
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 235 lbs
B/T: L/R
History: Through his first three professional seasons, Brandon Allen wasn't a
highly-regarded prospect. While he showed occasional flashes of power, his
limitations as a first baseman, high strikeout totals, and low on-base
percentages overshadowed that one positive attribute.
Then in 2007, Allen repeated the Low-A level in the White Sox organization
and made great strides. He stopped trying to hit homers and focused on just
making solid contact. His natural strength still allowed him to belt a
career-high 18 home runs that year, but he also found his batting average
shoot up by 70 points, his doubles total more than double, his strikeout rate
plummet, and his walk rate increase.
He discovered yet another talent in 2008, swiping 17 bases in 21 attempts.
But that was merely a side note as he walloped 29 home runs and his cranked
out 67 extra-base hits between Winston-Salem (Hi-A) and Birmingham (AA), the
latter level being notoriously tough on power hitters. Allen continued his
Birmingham success this season, but ran into some early troubles at Triple-A
before the White Sox traded him to the Diamondbacks for reliever Tony Pena
this week.
Allen joins fellow Montgomery High School power hitter Bobby Stone in the
D-backs organization. Stone has a big-time power ceiling himself and was
drafted out of high school just as Allen was. Stone is currently repeating
Rookie-Ball with considerable success.
Batting and Power: Although the Diamondbacks have several prospects like
Stone with considerable power potential and added several power hitters in
last month's draft, Brandon Allen immediately became the best power-hitting
prospect in the farm system upon his arrival. He is 235 pounds of solid
muscle on a 6-foot-2-inch frame and can take the ball out of the deepest of
ballparks.
Allen's hitting acumen and feel for the strike zone are advanced for a
23-year old because he has enjoyed professional tutelage for the past six
seasons. He has increased his walk rate and lowered his strikeout rate every
subsequent season following 2006.
Still, power remains his biggest strength. Allen might have a career year in
which he hits over .300, but he projects to something closer to the .260-.280
range. Power-wise, 30 homers per season is a conservative estimate of what
he could accomplish in the hitter-friendly desert conditions.
"He's got a lot of power," general manager Josh Byrnes said. "He's a strong
guy, he's athletic, he can actually run a little bit, he's gotten better
defensively. You want a guy that can hit and hit with power, and he's done
that -- he can do that."
Base Running and Speed: The ability to run Byrnes mentioned had been a
hidden talent before Allen broke out with 17 stolen bases in 2008.
Unfortunately, it has gone back into hiding this year, as Allen has swiped
just one bag in three attempts.
"You don't want to be known as a base-clogger out there," Allen said in the
spring. "You want to be an athlete. That's what I try to do. Every year, I
run the bleachers and work on my explosion. Speed can get you hits, even for
a big guy like me. I take pride in my average speed that I possess."
Defense: Allen also takes pride in the strides that he has made defensively
over the years. He was primarily an outfielder in high school, and took some
time to acclimate to first base. His fielding percentage has climbed from the
.970s to the .990s. He's no Mark Grace, but he can scoop the occasional low
throw and exhibit reasonable range.
"He's an athlete with good work habits, so I think he's taking [his defense]
seriously and knows that's important," Byrnes said.
Major League Clone: Carlos Pena
Prediction: Allen is going to hit at the major league level. He struggles a
little bit against southpaws, though, so he might break in as the dominant
member of a platoon system before he establishes himself as an everyday
player.
ETA: Allen could be ready for the majors sometime in 2010. That's perfect,
because Chad Tracy and Tony Clark will both be gone by then. It's hard to
predict exactly what next year's roster will look like; that picture will be
clearer next month. But it appears that Allen will compete with Joshua
Whitesell for the left-handed portion of a first base platoon to share with
either Conor Jackson or Mark Reynolds.
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