by Liz Rudolph / A’s Farm Beloit Correspondent
19-year-old Nick Allen has been a showstopper at shortstop since his showcase days in southern California, impressing scouts with his quick hands, strong arm and exceptional baseball instincts.
The A’s made Allen their third-round draft pick in 2017, going well over-slot to sign the USC commit. He made his pro debut last summer in the Arizona League, where he put up a .254/.322/.326 slash line as an 18-year-old fresh out of high school.
Starting off his first full season of pro ball this year in Beloit, Allen has been serving as the leadoff hitter for the Snappers and is currently slashing .241/.313/.328 while leading the team with nine runs and five stolen bases over his first fourteen games.
After being sidelined for a full week by winter-like conditions in Wisconsin, the Snappers are currently in the midst of a seven-game homestand and are starting to gain some real momentum, winning three of their last four contests. And during the current homestand, we took the opportunity to talk with the slick-fielding Allen about his development on both sides of the ball during his first few weeks in the Midwest League.
AF: You came straight out of high school in San Diego, drafted in the third round in 2017, and then joined the A’s organization. Was it a steep learning curve for you once you got to spring training in Arizona and started to see major league talent?
NA: Yeah, of course. The talent, obviously as the levels keep going up, gets increasingly more difficult. But I think being around a lot of talented players really helped out, kind of calmed me down in certain aspects.
AF: You participated in the showcases, including being selected for the Perfect Game All-American Classic. What was that experience like for you?
NA: It was awesome. I got the chance to play in the Under Armour All-American game and the Perfect Game All-American game. The PG one was in San Diego, so it was a hometown game for myself, which was amazing. All my family got to go out and support me. Also, it was just playing with the best players in the country. I think that helps you, moving through this whole process.
AF: Did you pay attention to the numbers – the scouting reports, prospect rankings and the Perfect Game grades at all when you were coming up?
NA: I think that’s always around, so you see it here and there. It’s something you don’t focus on because you just want to go out and keep getting better and better. But obviously, since it’s publicized throughout many social media pages, you definitely get a glimpse at it. But it’s something you don’t try to focus on. You just want to go out and try to get better at what you need to get better at.
AF: You’re obviously still very young at 19, but in your time playing, what part of your game do you think has developed the most?
NA: I think in all aspects. I’m trying to work on everything, including defense, hitting-wise, getting on base, running. I’m trying to really progress at all levels of this game. But hitting-wise, I think I’ve gotten a little more mature, but there’s so much more room to grow in that. So, I’m thankful for where I’m at, but I’m excited where I can go and end up.
AF: You’re remarkable defensively – super fun to watch. And some part of that is having “good baseball instincts.” You always see that in the reports about you. When they say “baseball instincts,” it suggests that at least some of it comes naturally. Are there certain parts of the game that you have actively studied off the field, or do you feel like there are some parts that do just come naturally to you?
NA: I try to learn as much as I can from whoever teaches me along the way, and I think that helps me. But when I go out there and play, I just have to go out and play and just let everything flow. But I do owe a lot to all of my coaches that have helped me throughout this whole process, and definitely defensively. I can just say I attest to them for helping me, but I think I just go out there and not try to focus on too much and just play, see what the game brings.
AF: So, what’s next? Is there one aspect that you’re really keying in on improving right now?
NA: I think just trying to be more consistent in all aspects – defensively, hitting-wise – that’s the big focus for me. And to keep myself mentally focused the whole time.
AF: This Snappers team has been really fun to watch. I think I’ve seen walk-offs in just about every game that I’ve been to. What is the overall vibe of this Beloit team right now? It certainly looks like you’re having a lot of fun.
NA: I think it’s been really good so far. We’re playing together as a team right now. Everyone is rooting for each other and it’s clearly showing. So, hopefully we keep it going, keep it rolling, and see what comes out of it.
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Listen to the audio version of Liz Rudolph’s interview with Nick Allen here…
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