General Managers love drafting prep and college shortstops. Athleticism and glove skills live in the six-hole. A hidden jewel in a diminutive frame, the right deal could swing Nick Allen as a great future infielder.

Nick Allen 2017 MLB Draft Profile

Overview

Allen is a small player by modern standards. A product of Francis W. Parker High School in San Diego, CA, he graduated as an excellent student with a 3.7 Grade Point Average. He verbally committed to the University of Southern California. He claimed First-Team All-American honors from Rawlings-Perfect Game.

Strengths

Allen is a outlier in tools and instinct at the shortstop position. He covers more space than his height would suggest when he lays out. His footwork and balance make him float through the middle infield. Perfect Game rates his hands as elite, as well as his exchange. During the Perfect Game All-American Classic, he made a Trevor Story-quality diving stop in the hole, and gunned the runner out with a clocked 91 mile per hour strike to the first baseman.

He is a solid batter, with the ability to get on base. His approach at the plate leans toward that of a line drive hitter, and he has the speed to beat bunts out from the right side of the plate. He runs the sixty in 6.56 seconds, giving him the speed to steal both second base and third base if he is held to a single. His running instincts and tools are on par with his fielding tools, making him a solid five-tool shortstop.

Weaknesses

Allen’s biggest issue is his height. At only 5’9″ tall, he is short for the prototypical major league ballplayer. With his skill set and quick feet, he should be able to overcome his height, but he may take a year or two of college to prove to scouts and GMs he belongs at the professional level.

MLB Comparison

Trevor Story