The Atlanta Braves currently have a record of 44-73 for the 2016 season. They sit 25 games out of first place in the National League East and 17 games out of the second Wild Card position in the National League. It is simply a matter of time before the Braves become mathematically eliminated from the 2016 postseason. It is important to mention, however, that the Braves are finishing the second season of a full-blown rebuild of the organization.
The main focus of the rebuild under John Hart and John Coppolella has been on obtaining young pitchers. The Braves have added 48 pitchers to the organization over the past two seasons through the first year player draft. The 2015 draft was especially remarkable when the Braves used four of their first six picks on pitchers in the first three rounds. This group of young arms consisted of lefties Kolby Allard (14th overall pick) and A.J. Minter (75th overall) and righties Mike Soroka (28th overall) and Anthony Guardado (89th overall). Of this group, Allard looks primed to make a big splash for Atlanta in the very near future.
Kolby Allard Prospect Spotlight
Allard grew up in Southern California where he attended San Clemente High School. It was during Allard’s junior season that he separated himself as a serious Major League Baseball prospect. During his junior season, Allard produced a 1.32 ERA over 63 2/3 innings to go with ninety-eight strikeouts. Allard entered his senior season as a potential top five draft pick with a fastball in the mid-nineties and a sparkling curveball. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by a stress fracture in his back.
Getting Drafted
Allard’s back injury was well-documented across the league and was a source of concern for many teams. The injury had forced Allard to miss more than a month of baseball and it was undetermined if surgery would be in his future. It is largely unquestioned that Allard would have been drafted top five had it not been for his injury concerns. Three pitchers were taken ahead of Allard in 2015. As it turned out, Allard fell to pick number fourteen and the Braves who could not pass on potential-packed lefty.
2015 Season
Allard made three dazzling starts for the Gulf Coast League Braves in 2015. Allard posted a brilliant line of 6.0 innings pitched with one hit allowed and one hit batsman. He did not issue a walk and recorded 12 strikeouts. It was unfortunately reported that Allard had to undergo another surgery on his back following his 2015 season. It was listed as a minor procedure and he appears to be at full strength in 2016.
2016 Season
Allard has bounced around a bit in 2016. He began the 2016 season at the Single-A level with the Rome Braves. Allard made three starts in Rome before being demoted to the Rookie level Danville Braves. Allard allowed 11 earned runs in 12.0 innings pitched. The good news is Allard still logged 12 strikeouts with just four walks.
Allard’s stuff was brilliant in the five starts he made at Danville before being re-promoted to Rome. Allard posted a 3-0 record with a 1.32 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched. He did not surrender a single home run while walking five batters against thirty-three strikeouts. Allard’s WHIP of 0.84 remains tops for any Danville pitcher with more than ten innings of work this season.
Allard has made five starts since returning to Rome with lots of success. He has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his five starts while also completing six innings in all but one of his starts. Allard has allowed eight earned runs over 29.1 innings pitched in his second stop at Rome. He has also struck out 33 batters while walking eleven for an even 3.00 K-to-BB ratio. Allard’s best start came on August third when he went 6.1 innings while allowing one run on three hits and striking out 11men.
There was a large risk in drafting Allard, but all signs in 2016 point towards a star in the making. Allard is ranked the fourth best prospect in the Atlanta Braves organization. Allard is also ranked as the eleventh best left-handed pitching prospect by Baseball America.
