Matthew Allan, Photo by Ed Delany of MMN
No. 4 Matt Allan, RHP
B/T: R/R Age: April 17, 2001 (20)
Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 225 lb.
ETA: 2024 Previous Rank: 3
Acquired: Mets 2019 Third Round Draft Pick
2021 Stats: DNP
If not for Allan undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2021, Allan could very well have been in the discussion as being the top prospect in the New York Mets organization, and he would have been on all of the top 100 prospect rankings. That said, he had the surgery, and despite the high rate of success with that surgery, it does temper some of the enthusiasm with him.
There is plenty of reason for enthusiasm with Allan because he has some of the best stuff we have seen from a Mets pitching prospect. More importantly, we have also seen a drive with him to improve, and there were very tangible results prior to the surgery.
Allan has a fastball that typically sits in the mid 90s with him being able to ramp it up and get in the upper 90s when he needs to reach back for something extra. He has shown an advanced ability to control the fastball. Allan is not only able to locate the fastball down in the zone, but he is also able to do so in the upper parts of the zone making the pitch all the more difficult for batters to attack.
Allan has paired that fastball with a very high spin curveball. The spin rate on his curve has been around 2,500 rpm. To put that into perspective, Clayton Kershaw has been known throughout his career for having a great curve, and his spin rate has averaged between 2,300 – 2,400 rpm. Like the Kershaw curve, Allan has a noticeable vertical drop in the pitch making it all the more effective, and like with his fastball, Allan has exceptional command of the pitch.
Coming out of the draft, Allan’s fastball and curve were rated very highly. It speaks volumes about Allan as a prospect and player that he has improved what were already seen as and projected to be plus pitches.
However, when it comes to Allan, he is not going to be defined by his fastball or curve. He is going to be defined by his change-up because the addition of that third pitch is going to determine just how high his ceiling is going to be. To wit, Allan’s change-up might just be the biggest reason to get excited for Allan’s future.
Coming out of the draft, Allan’s change had promise, but it still was raw. Allan has shown increasing feel for the pitch, and he has been gaining confidence in the pitch. It has roughly a 10 MPH difference from his fastball, and he’s better disguising the pitch. It’s more of a weapon against left-handed batters due to its late action and arm side fade. During the 2020 Instructional League, the Mets were even beginning to call the pitch a weapon.
What makes all of Allan’s pitches all the more lethal is his poise and command. He can throw his pitches anywhere in the zone, and he is comfortable mixing up his sequencing to keep batters guessing. More than anything, Allan has a feel and understanding for how to pitch.
The biggest takeaway with Allan is this is a pitcher who has all the tools to be great. He has the pure stuff, the ability to improve, and the drive. Really, the only thing that has stood in Allan’s way in his brief professional career has been a torn UCL. If not for that, there is no limit to where he would have been as a prospect entering the 2022 season.
As it stands, Allan is going to miss time in 2022 due to the Tommy John surgery and rehab. When he is ready to return, we should very well see a pitcher who has two to three plus pitches who has the ability and drive to one day become an ace.
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