Miami Marlins Season In Review: Will Allen
Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 208 of 286. Stay tuned.
Will Allen is a 6’3″, 220 lb. first baseman and catcher from Gainesville, FL. Born on March 25th, 1992, Allen was chosen in the 13th round of the 2014 draft, by the Detroit Tigers out of the University of Mississippi 400th overall. You can follow him on Twitter @WillAllen30. 2014 wouldn’t be the first time Allen was drafted. In 2010, the Pittsburgh Pirates spent a 37th round choice on him out of Buchholz High School, the alma mater of former Florida Marlin Andrew Miller.
The 400th overall pick has turned out five major league players to this point, led by shortstop Jamey Carroll (1996, Montreal Expos, 16.6 career WAR).
In four seasons of collegiate ball, Allen carved out a .287/.322/411 slashline, with 16 round-trippers and 121 RBI. His first season as a professional, in 2015, Allen split his time between the short-season-A Connecticut Tigers, in the New York-Penn League, and the high-A Lakeland Flying Tigers, in the Florida State League. Over 62 appearances, Allen threw down a .315/.378/.401 slashline, with two homers, 33 RBI, 21 walks, and 45 whiffs in 230 plate appearances. He was also selected to the 2015 mid-season all-star team for Connecticut.
In 2016, Allen spent the entire season with the single-A West Michigan Whitecaps, in the Midwest League. In 131 games, still his career-high, he put together a .266/.338/.369 slashline, with five homers, a team-best 73 RBI, and 52 walks against 86 whiffs over 557 plate appearances.
Most of 2017 was spent by Allen back with the Flying Tigers, where he slashed .245/.307/.397 with nine homers and 40 RBI in 86 contests.
More from Marlins Prospects
- Miami Marlins: Checking in on prospects from the 2022 Arizona Fall League
- Miami Marlins: How top 2022 MLB Draft picks performed this season
- What’s wrong with Kahlil Watson?
- Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 2
- Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 1
On December 14th, Allen was claimed off waivers from the Erie Seawolves by the Miami Marlins. They assigned him to the 70-64 Jupiter Hammerheads in the FSL for starters. In 21 games, he slashed just .195/.247/.256 with four RBI, four walks, and 22 strikeouts. That being said, Allen spent the majority of the season with the lower classification “A” team in the South Atlantic League, the 60-76 Greensboro Grasshoppers. In 43 games there, he went 40-for-150 with nine home runs and 29 RBI, slashing .267/.313/.520. While playing for Greensboro from June 9th through 17th, Allen went 10-for-20 with two doubles, four home runs, and 11 RBI. He was named the SAL Player of the Week on June 17th.
As a catcher in the Miami Marlins system last season, Allen passed seven balls, and committed six errors in 261 innings of work for a .977 fielding percentage. Conversely, he only made one error at first base over 220 1/3 innings of work, racking up a .996 fielding percentage.
Over his four professional seasons, Allen has languished at various “A” level organizations. For him to have a continuing chance in baseball at the age of 27, he must be given a chance with the double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in 2019.
Thanks for reading. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our daily newsletter to keep up with the Miami Marlins