Jay Allen

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #15 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: A three-sport star in high school who has scholarship offers as a quarterback, Allen was the Reds' second first round pick in 2021. He had an excellent debut in the Arizona Complex League. His performance took a step back in 2022, but he still impressed with his high-intensity style of play.
  
  Scouting Report: Everything hasn't clicked yet for Allen, but scouts see a path to a productive big leaguer. He's a plus center fielder with 65 speed on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. He can be a truly merciless basestealer when he finds a pitcher/catcher combination who can't control the running game. In one of his best games of the season, Allen had four hits, and stole second all four times. He added a steal of third to finish the game with five stolen bases. Allen's swing is geared for line drives, not home runs. He has solid bat control, but his inability to lay off pitches out of the zone is hamstringing his ability to hit for average. He's a plus defender in center with an average arm.
  
  The Future: Allen is going to have to make strides in his pitch recognition and selectivity, but he has the tools to be a well-rounded outfielder who can help a team in multiple ways. He's ticketed to return to High-A Dayton.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 40. Field: 60. Run: 65. Arm: 50.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #7 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: A Florida recruit in baseball, Allen also had college options in football and participated in the Elite 11 quarterback camp finals—a camp for prep quarterbacks considered among the best in the nation. Allen may have more development room ahead of him than most prep stars because he played three sports throughout high school—football bled into basketball season which bled into baseball season. He hasn’t focused as much on baseball as many of his peers, but that hasn’t slowed him down so far, and he homered in his first official pro at-bat.
  
  Scouting Report: Allen showed both power and the ability to hit for average in his pro debut. He has a straightforward swing with a quick trigger. Last spring he showed a solid all-fields approach, although he was more pull-heavy in his pro debut. Allen turns in plus run times at his best, but those moments are rare, and his swing means he’s often turning in average or slower times thanks to the time it takes for him to get underway. He accelerates quickly and has shown a solid understanding of how to read pitchers, which paid off with 14 stolen bases in 15 tries. The Reds had him play center field exclusively in his debut, but some scouts see him eventually ending up in left field. He should hit enough to fit at either spot.
  
  The Future: Allen has a wide range of options ahead. In an ideal scenario, he’ll be a center fielder with plus power and a plus hit tool. Even if he ends up in an outfield corner and doesn’t develop as much power as expected, he still has a shot to be a future MLB regular.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #37 prospect in 2021 draft
  An impressive three-sport athlete, Allen was named the third-best athlete among position players in Baseball America’s preseason poll voted on by scouting directors, trailing only Texas shortstop Jordan Lawlar and Pennsylvania outfielder Benny Montgomery among high school players. Allen was a talented high school quarterback and basketball player at Carroll Catholic, and scouts were impressed with how easily he seemed to bounce from the basketball court to the diamond and swing the bat well. Allen impressed evaluators with his ability to drive the ball to both sides of the field this spring, against solid pitching, and those who believe in his bat think he has a chance to add solid power in the future as he fills out a 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame. While Allen has turned in plus run times in the past, some scouts were surprised with the lack of explosion Allen showed in the run times they got on the stopwatch this spring. At the same time, he’s shown impressive baserunning instincts in the past with good acceleration and a solid first step. For teams who believe Allen is more of a good runner than a great one, there will likely be some concern that he has to move off of center field to a corner, but there are scouts who think he will be able to handle center field and also be a top-of-the-lineup hitter. Allen is committed to Florida, but some teams like him inside the top-two rounds.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #10 prospect in 2021
  The second of the Reds’ two first-round picks this year started his career with a special game. Allen stole third base after walking in his first pro plate appearance and then hit a tape measure home run in his next at-bat. An elite athlete, Allen played three sports in high school. He’s an aggressive baserunner with plus speed who stole 14 bases in just 19 games in the ACL. Like most first-year pros, Allen struggled at times with breaking pitches but projects to be an above-average hitter with at least average power. An average defender now, he should be able to stay in center field and should progress in all areas now that his focus is baseball. What stands out most about Allen is his outstanding makeup and ability to take instruction. “He’s trusting his coaching staff. He’s listening to what we feel needs to improve and really trying to master that,” Reds manager Bryan LaHair said, “like just his overall defensive play and the little intangibles of what we’re looking for . . . He’s listening, he’s learning, he’s adapting."

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: A three-sport star in high school who has scholarship offers as a quarterback, Allen was the Reds' second first round pick in 2021. He had an excellent debut in the Arizona Complex League. His performance took a step back in 2022, but he still impressed with his high-intensity style of play.
  
  Scouting Report: Everything hasn't clicked yet for Allen, but scouts see a path to a productive big leaguer. He's a plus center fielder with 65 speed on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. He can be a truly merciless basestealer when he finds a pitcher/catcher combination who can't control the running game. In one of his best games of the season, Allen had four hits, and stole second all four times. He added a steal of third to finish the game with five stolen bases. Allen's swing is geared for line drives, not home runs. He has solid bat control, but his inability to lay off pitches out of the zone is hamstringing his ability to hit for average. He's a plus defender in center with an average arm.
  
  The Future: Allen is going to have to make strides in his pitch recognition and selectivity, but he has the tools to be a well-rounded outfielder who can help a team in multiple ways. He's ticketed to return to High-A Dayton.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 40. Field: 60. Run: 65. Arm: 50.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: A three-sport star in high school who has scholarship offers as a quarterback, Allen was the Reds' second first round pick in 2021. He had an excellent debut in the Arizona Complex League. His performance took a step back in 2022, but he still impressed with his high-intensity style of play.
  
  Scouting Report: Everything hasn't clicked yet for Allen, but scouts see a path to a productive big leaguer. He's a plus center fielder with 65 speed on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. He can be a truly merciless basestealer when he finds a pitcher/catcher combination who can't control the running game. In one of his best games of the season, Allen had four hits, and stole second all four times. He added a steal of third to finish the game with five stolen bases. Allen's swing is geared for line drives, not home runs. He has solid bat control, but his inability to lay off pitches out of the zone is hamstringing his ability to hit for average. He's a plus defender in center with an average arm.
  
  The Future: Allen is going to have to make strides in his pitch recognition and selectivity, but he has the tools to be a well-rounded outfielder who can help a team in multiple ways. He's ticketed to return to High-A Dayton.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 40. Field: 60. Run: 65. Arm: 50.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: A Florida recruit in baseball, Allen also had college options in football and participated in the Elite 11 quarterback camp finals. Allen may have more development room ahead of him than most prep stars because he played three sports throughout high school. He hasn&#39t focused as much on baseball as many of his peers, but that hasn&#39t slowed him down so far and he homered in his first official pro at-bat.
  
  Scouting Report: Allen showed both power and the ability to hit for average in his pro debut. He has a straightforward swing with a quick trigger. Last spring he showed a solid all-fields approach, although he was more pull-heavy in his pro debut. Allen turns in plus run times at his best, but those moments are rare. He accelerates quickly and has shown a solid understanding of how to read pitchers, which paid off with 14 stolen bases in 15 tries. The Reds had him play center field exclusively in his debut, but some scouts see him eventually ending up in left field. He should hit enough to fit at either spot.
  
  The Future: Allen has a wide range of options ahead. In an ideal scenario, he&#39ll be a center fielder with plus power and a plus hit tool. Even if he ends up in an outfield corner and doesn&#39t develop as much power as expected, he still has a shot to be a future MLB regular.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: A Florida recruit in baseball, Allen also had college options in football and participated in the Elite 11 quarterback camp finals—a camp for prep quarterbacks considered among the best in the nation. Allen may have more development room ahead of him than most prep stars because he played three sports throughout high school—football bled into basketball season which bled into baseball season. He hasn’t focused as much on baseball as many of his peers, but that hasn’t slowed him down so far, and he homered in his first official pro at-bat.
  
  Scouting Report: Allen showed both power and the ability to hit for average in his pro debut. He has a straightforward swing with a quick trigger. Last spring he showed a solid all-fields approach, although he was more pull-heavy in his pro debut. Allen turns in plus run times at his best, but those moments are rare, and his swing means he’s often turning in average or slower times thanks to the time it takes for him to get underway. He accelerates quickly and has shown a solid understanding of how to read pitchers, which paid off with 14 stolen bases in 15 tries. The Reds had him play center field exclusively in his debut, but some scouts see him eventually ending up in left field. He should hit enough to fit at either spot.
  
  The Future: Allen has a wide range of options ahead. In an ideal scenario, he’ll be a center fielder with plus power and a plus hit tool. Even if he ends up in an outfield corner and doesn’t develop as much power as expected, he still has a shot to be a future MLB regular.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  The second of the Reds’ two first-round picks this year started his career with a special game. Allen stole third base after walking in his first pro plate appearance and then hit a tape measure home run in his next at-bat. An elite athlete, Allen played three sports in high school. He’s an aggressive baserunner with plus speed who stole 14 bases in just 19 games in the ACL. Like most first-year pros, Allen struggled at times with breaking pitches but projects to be an above-average hitter with at least average power. An average defender now, he should be able to stay in center field and should progress in all areas now that his focus is baseball. What stands out most about Allen is his outstanding makeup and ability to take instruction. “He’s trusting his coaching staff. He’s listening to what we feel needs to improve and really trying to master that,” Reds manager Bryan LaHair said, “like just his overall defensive play and the little intangibles of what we’re looking for . . . He’s listening, he’s learning, he’s adapting."
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  An impressive three-sport athlete, Allen was named the third-best athlete among position players in Baseball America's preseason poll voted on by scouting directors, trailing only Texas shortstop Jordan Lawlar and Pennsylvania outfielder Benny Montgomery among high school players. Allen was a talented high school quarterback and basketball player at Carroll Catholic, and scouts were impressed with how easily he seemed to bounce from the basketball court to the diamond and swing the bat well. Allen impressed evaluators with his ability to drive the ball to both sides of the field this spring, against solid pitching, and those who believe in his bat think he has a chance to add solid power in the future as he fills out a 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame. While Allen has turned in plus run times in the past, some scouts were surprised with the lack of explosion Allen showed in the run times they got on the stopwatch this spring. At the same time, he's shown impressive baserunning instincts in the past with good acceleration and a solid first step. For teams who believe Allen is more of a good runner than a great one, there will likely be some concern that he has to move off of center field to a corner, but there are scouts who think he will be able to handle center field and also be a top-of-the-lineup hitter.