Apr 5, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a Chicago White Sox helmet before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Earlier this month, the Chicago White Sox added first baseman Andrew Allen to the organization with a minor league contract.
The Feb. 3 signing by the White Sox gave them a right-handed batter who has 36 games of minor league experience since he last played a full season in college with the UCLA Bruins.
In MiLB ball, Allen played for the the Detroit Tigers organization after being drafted in the 45th round in 2011. Though Allen hasn’t played at the rookie level in the minors since the ’13 season, the White Sox are taking a very low-risk chance with this signing.
About Allen … he was actually drafted two additional times before signing with the Tigers as a 45th-round selection in 2011 (No. 1,367). In 2007, the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him in the 43rd round (1,278), and in ’09, the Tigers drafted him in the 43rd round (1,290), according to thebaseballcube.com.
His last season in rookie ball was in ’13 where in 19 games he batted .241 with a .302 batting average, .328 on-base percentage and .629 slugging percentage.
In his 58 at-bats in ’13, Allen totaled 14 hits (including one double, one triple and no home runs). The first baseman also had 10 RBIs in ’13.
The Tigers released Allen on Sept. 30, 2013.
During the ’12 season, Allen had 10 hits in 17 games, with two doubles and four RBIs.
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Before he played with UCLA, Allen played two seasons for Central Arizona College, where he batted .289 as a freshman in 40 games and .235 in just eight games as a collegiate sophomore.
Again, this signing by the White Sox doesn’t jump off the pages, we all know that, but there is the possibility he can stay on with one of the teams in the farm system and improve his skills within the organization.
Allen is 25 years old and is behind the curve so to speak with a lot of players in the high minors or in the major leagues by the time they are 25. Even so, this is a good chance for Allen to revive his career in an organization that doesn’t need a MLB level first baseman for hopefully many years to come.