Logan Allen is a solid LHP.  I’m not exactly sure where he will go but I think he will be in play before the Royals pick at 76.  He could possibly be an option at 41.  There have been a few mocks out there that had him sliding into the back end of the first round, but nothing recently.  

Allen was the 2017 Florida Gatorade Player of the Year.  He chose to stay in Florida to attend Florida International University.  Attending FIU has given Allen the chance to be a two-way player and he has a career average close to .300 with 5 home runs in his first two seasons.  He seems to be somewhat of a free-swinger walking only 15 times in his 230 plate appearances.  

Interestingly enough, Allen hits right-handed.  But why are we talking about Allen’s hitting when he is one of the top left-handed pitchers in the country?  Let’s switch gears and focus on the 120 strikeouts he collected in just 84.0 innings as a sophomore.  And let’s talk about the 12.0 K/9 rate vs. his 2.38 BB/9 rate.  Let’s also pause and consider the 32.2 innings he threw as a sophomore in which he did not allow an earned run.  And please don’t confuse him with the other Logan Allen, the LHP who was a top 100 prospect in the Padres system currently pitching for the Indians.  

In the summer of 2019, Allen threw 10.0 innings for the US Collegiate National Team followed by 15.0 innings in the Cape.  Allen posted 35 strikeouts.

Allen’s fastball works up to 93 but mostly sits around 90 or 91.  He has excellent command as referenced by his career 2.38 BB/9 rate.  The pitch has good movement to his arm side.  

Allen throws one of the better left-handed change ups in the draft.  It acts as a swing and miss pitch for him sinking away from right-handed hitters.  He has good command with the pitch and it makes it hard for every hitter to see out of his hand.  

Allen also throws a curve.  This is his weakest of three pitches but he commands it well and is very crafty.  He uses it to backdoor right-handed hitters or to get left-handed hitters to chase.  

Allen doesn’t have the explosive stuff some of the other pitchers in this draft have, but he has pitchability, crafiness, and is an advanced lefty.  That will get him drafted on the first day when MLB holds their Draft in Omaha this year.  

Allen should move quickly through the lower levels of the minors before having to prove himself in the upper levels.  Allen is only 6’0” and 180 lbs with little projection left.  He is pretty close to a finished product.  It bears watching as the season moves along to see if he can work a few mph faster and improve his draft stock like Daniel Lynch did right before the Royals selected him 34th overall.  

Allen has a good mindset for a pitcher.  He knows what he is capable of and doesn’t got outside of his ability.  He trusts in his defense to make plays focusing on making the right pitch in the right spot.  

Allen’s pitching coach at FIU is a former member of the Blue Jays analytics department and minor-league pitching coordinator Willie Collazo.  Collazo will be fine tuning Allen’s stuff using the latest data and technology to make the lefty the best version of himself that can possibly be made. 

And don’t forget that Royals prospect MJ Melendez’s father is Allen’s head coach at FIU.  The Royals have a connection here and might choose to use it to add another advanced lefty to their system.  

Make sure you check out the other names we’ve looked at in the 2020 MLB Draft Profile library!

Photo from the FIU Athletics website.