Matt Allan, five years removed from throwing in a professional game was reported by multiple sources to have been throwing 99 MPH on the back fields in his return from multiple Tommy John surgeries. Allan struck out four batters over two innings of work, which is a phenomenal sign for someone who was considered an afterthought after his long road back to pitching.

It was an entire ownership group ago that Allan was selected in the third round of the 2019 MLB draft out of high school and was positioned to be the Mets best pitching prospect. To get Allan away from his college commitment, the Mets went well over slot, giving him a $2.5 million signing bonus. After a 10-inning glimpse of Rookie Ball and Low-A in 2019, Allan was set to come into the 2020 season riding high on his upside and looking to establish his place in professional baseball. This did not go to plan as the 2020 minor league season was wiped out and Allan would undergo two Tommy John surgeries and a nerve-transposition surgery that has become common among recipients of UCL repair.

Allan still seems to have the velocity and the pitching repertoire, if not also the heart and commitment to being a professional pitcher. He may best be suited in a bullpen role where he can just air out his pitches and not have to worry about a deep arsenal or high-inning counts. In the short term, it may be smarter to keep him as a starter as that would allow him to build up his innings while allowing him to refine some of his pitches. Allan has yet to pitch any significant innings at any minor league stop and will probably overpower the hitters in the lower-levels as he will pitch the 2025 season at 24 years old – much older than league average at the Single-A level.