Kolby Allard

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #14 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Wherever Allard has pitched, he's been one of the youngest players, if not the youngest, in the league he's pitching. And until he reached Atlanta, he's always been one of the best pitchers in wherever he's pitched. But Allard's lack of velocity makes it hard to be confident in lasting big league success, even though he's posted a 2.93 ERA in 65 career minor league starts.
  
  Scouting Report: Allard made his major league debut in August 2018 and in doing so confirmed some of the fears that dogged him even when he was having success in Triple-A. Allard's fastball is a below-average pitch. It sits 88-90 and rarely bumps 91-92. He locates it well and pitches backward, allowing him to try to sneak a fastball by a hitter after slowing their eyes with his curveball or changeup. But against big league hitters, Allard's margins of error are so small that he has to do everything almost perfectly to have success. He has an above-average curveball and an average changeup, but he has has to nibble with all of them because he lacks a pitch to get swings and misses in the strike zone.
  
  The Future: Allard doesn't have much more to prove in Triple-A. He was third in the International League in ERA in 2018. Still, he needs to find 2-3 extra mph that he's been losing in pro ball. Unless he adds more oomph, his ceiling is as a No. 5 starter.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #7 prospect in 2018
  The Braves challenged both Allard and Mike Soroka with a two-level jump to Double-A Mississippi in 2017. Allard handled it with few issues. The youngest player in Double-A at the start of the season, Allard worked five or more innings in 25 of 27 starts. Allard is a nibbler by necessity. His average 88-92 mph fastball lacks the oomph and plane to consistently challenge hitters, but thanks to plus command, he largely avoids the heart of the plate. He can manipulate his fastball by cutting it to get in on hitters' hands. His changeup graded as consistently plus in 2017, while his curveball is plus at its best, but it wasn't as consistent. His lack of size limits his projection, but his preternatural polish and command give him a high likelihood of big league success. Even as Allard earns comparisons with front-line Braves pitchers of the past, like Steve Avery, scouts consistently project him as a future No. 4 starter, with a few seeing a potential No. 3 and others saying No. 5. Allard is ready for Triple-A Gwinnett and could reach the majors as a 20-year-old in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #3 prospect in 2017
  The Braves selected Allard 14th overall in 2015 after he fell in the draft because of a stress reaction in his back that caused him to miss most of his senior year of high school. He had minor surgery after signing and was held back in extended spring training as a precaution to open 2016. Allard opened at low Class A Rome in June before the Rookie-level Danville season started, then returned to Rome after five starts and got better as the year went on. Allard went 4-0, 1.72 with 37 strikeouts in 31 innings in August before tossing 12 shutout innings in the South Atlantic League playoffs. The lefthander has an excellent feel for pitching and works down in the strike zone. His fastball sits at 90-94 mph and possesses late cutting action. He mixes his heater with a plus hammer curveball with a 1-to-7 drop that may be his best pitch. Allard has made outstanding progress with his changeup that could improve to the point where he winds up with three plus pitches. He throws a lot of strikes and should have above-average command when he matures. Allard has the overall package to be a No. 2 or 3 starter in the big leagues. He should open 2017 at Atlanta's new Florida State League affiliate but could make the jump to Double-A during the campaign.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #3 prospect in 2016
  A stress reaction in his back caused Allard to miss most of his senior year at San Clemente (Calif.) High and fall to the Braves with the 14th overall pick in 2015. The youngest player on the gold medal-winning USA Baseball 18U national team in 2014, the UCLA recruit appeared on scouts' radars early in his prep career and dominated on a variety of stages. After signing Allard for $3,042,400, Atlanta limited him to three brief starts in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League while easing him back onto the mound before he participated in instructional league without any complications. Allard repeats his smooth and easy mechanics with consistency and generates a hard, sinking fastball that sits in the low 90s and touches 96 mph. He mixes his fastball well with a tight curveball that features a sharp downward break just prior to reaching the plate. Allard showed a feel for the changeup during instructional league, but the pitch needs work after he rarely threw it as an amateur. The Braves love his makeup and competitiveness. He should be ready to go in spring training. While Allard has the overall package to move rapidly through the organization, the Braves will be patient and methodical as he develops into a potential top-of-the-rotation starter.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #18 prospect in 2015 draft
  A UCLA recruit, Allard continued a recent tradition of top-rated pitchers coming up injured prior to the National High School Invitational, joining other pitchers such as Jordan Sheffield, Dylan Cease and Lucas Giolito. Allard's issue was a stress reaction in his back, less of a concern than the arm injuries that felled other prospects this year around the country. Allard was the youngest player on USA Baseball's 18U national team last summer, helping the team win a gold medal, and has compiled a long track record for a high school pitcher that made him the top arm in the class entering the spring. He has a firm fastball that has touched 96 and sits in the low 90s. He does it easy with a feel for the strike zone. Allard has the hand speed to throw a tight, plus downer curveball, which was considered one of the best in the last last summer. He'd made just two starts before coming up injured this spring. Allard had begun workouts to potentially return to the field in early May, and scouts were speculating he could get back on a mound for some private workouts before the draft, but clubs likely were going to have to consider last summer's performance and this spring's medical reports as the key information for where to rank Allard.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #15 prospect in 2019
  In 2018, Allard dodged and weaved his way to a successful season in the International League, but scouts were concerned that he wouldn’t be able to succeed in the majors with an 88-90 mph fastball. A year later, Allard’s Triple-A numbers weren’t as pretty (like almost every Triple-A pitcher) thanks to the new ball, but an extra 2-3 mph on his fastball helped everything play better. He left the league thanks to a late-July trade to the Texas Rangers. In addition to regaining the velocity he showed in high school, Allard also added an above-average cutter, which gave him a useful wrinkle and quickly became a go-to pitch.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #10 prospect in 2017
  Allard helped pitch low Class A Rome to the South Atlantic League title in 2016 before jumping directly to Double-A this season, along with fellow 19-year-old Mike Soroka. Waylaid by back trouble in his draft year, Allard answered durability questions in 2017 by leading the SL with 27 starts and ranking fifth with 129 strikeouts. Allard lacks the physicality and velocity of Mississippi rotation-mates Soroka or Luiz Gohara, relying instead on a sneaky 88-90 mph fastball that touches 93 to set up his above-average secondary stuff. He is unafraid to work inside to righthanders with a fastball that features late cut but little plane. Allard generates swings and misses with a plus 1-to-7 curveball, which plays up because of his athleticism and pitchability. His changeup improved markedly in 2017 to above-average, giving him a high floor as three-pitch lefty starter.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #5 prospect in 2016
  Allard started late because the Braves held him out of action in spring training as he returned from a 2015 back injury. When he joined the Rome staff in June, he struggled in three starts before being demoted to Rookie-level Danville. Allard returned to Rome after a month in the Appalachian League and finally got to show why he was considered by many the best high school lefthander in the 2015 draft. He went 4-0, 1.72 with 37 strikeouts and six walks in 31 August innings, and he then threw 12 scoreless playoff innings. Allard sat 90-94 mph in his return to Rome with excellent life on his fastball. He does a good job of working down in the zone. His success is based more on his well-rounded repertoire than any one pitch. His breaking ball and changeup both are at least average and flash plus, and he already has advanced feel for mixing his pitches.
• 
  Ranked National League #4 prospect in 2016
  The Braves' top draft pick in 2015, Allard made his debut in June, shaking off some rust for low Class A Rome before a quick stint in Danville. There, Allard made five dominant starts and earned a promotion back to Rome in less than a month. Allard has arm strength, and his fastball works comfortably at 90-94 mph. As an amateur, his best pitch was his deep curveball, which showed late snap and 1-to-7 break this summer. It still projects as an above-average or plus pitch. This season, Allard's changeup showed significant progress, giving him a third weapon in addition to his advanced pitchability and composure on the mound.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #65 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #37 prospect in 2017
• Ranked Baseball America's #84 prospect in 2016

• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  In 2018, Allard dodged and weaved his way to a successful season in the International League, but scouts were concerned that he wouldn’t be able to succeed in the majors with an 88-90 mph fastball. A year later, Allard’s Triple-A numbers weren’t as pretty (like almost every Triple-A pitcher) thanks to the new ball, but an extra 2-3 mph on his fastball helped everything play better. He left the league thanks to a late-July trade to the Texas Rangers. In addition to regaining the velocity he showed in high school, Allard also added an above-average cutter, which gave him a useful wrinkle and quickly became a go-to pitch.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Allard is always one of the youngest and most successful pitchers in his league. But scouts are concerned that he doesn’t have the stuff to do more than survive in the majors. Allard pitches with a fringe-average fastball (88-91 mph), while neither of his secondary pitches generates consistent plus grades. The optimistic forecast sees Allard becoming a front-of-the-rotation mainstay, but most soft-tossers don’t reach those lofty heights.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Braves challenged both Allard and Mike Soroka with a two-level jump to Double-A Mississippi in 2017. Allard handled it with few issues. The youngest player in Double-A at the start of the season, Allard worked five or more innings in 25 of 27 starts. SCOUTING REPORT: Allard is a nibbler by necessity. His average 88-92 mph fastball lacks the oomph and plane to consistently challenge hitters, but thanks to plus command, he largely avoids the heart of the plate. He can manipulate his fastball by cutting it to get in on hitters' hands. His changeup graded as consistently plus in 2017, while his curveball is plus at its best, but it wasn't as consistent in 2017. His lack of size limits his projection, but his preternatural polish and command give him a high likelihood of big league success. THE FUTURE: Even as Allard earns comparisons with frontline Braves pitchers of the past, like Steve Avery, scouts consistently project him as a future No. 4 starter, with a few seeing a potential No. 3 and others saying No. 5. Allard is ready for Triple-A Gwinnett and could reach the majors as a 20-year-old in 2018.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Braves selected Allard 14th overall in 2015 after he fell due to a stress reaction in his back that caused him to miss most of his senior year of high school. He had minor surgery after signing and was held back in 2016 as a precautionary measure in extended spring training. He opened at low Class A Rome in June before the Rookie-level Danville season started, then returned to Rome after five starts and got better as the year went on. Allard went 4-0, 1.72 with 37 strikeouts in 31 innings in August before tossing 12 shutout innings in the South Atlantic League playoffs. Scouting Report: Allard showed in 2016 why so many scouts ranked him near the top of their draft boards the year before. The lefthander has an excellent feel for pitching and works down in the strike zone. His fastball sits at 90-94 mph and possesses late cutting action. He mixes his heater with a plus hammer curveball with a 1-to-7 drop that may be his best pitch. Allard has made outstanding progress with his changeup that could improve to the point where he winds up with three plus pitches. He throws a lot of strikes and should have above-average command when he matures
  
  The Future: Allard has the overall package to be a No. 2 or 3 starter in the big leagues. He should open 2017 at Atlanta's new Florida State League affiliate but could make the jump to Double-A during the campaign.
• December, 2014 Scouting Report
  A UCLA recruit, Allard continued a recent tradition of top-rated pitchers coming up injured prior to the National High School Invitational, joining other pitchers such as Jordan Sheffield, Dylan Cease and Lucas Giolito. Allard's issue was a stress reaction in his back, less of a concern than the arm injuries that felled other prospects this year around the country. Allard was the youngest player on USA Baseball's 18U national team last summer, helping the team win a gold medal, and has compiled a long track record for a high school pitcher that made him the top arm in the class entering the spring. He has a firm fastball that has touched 96 and sits in the low 90s. He does it easy with a feel for the strike zone. Allard has the hand speed to throw a tight, plus downer curveball, which was considered one of the best in the last last summer. He'd made just two starts before coming up injured this spring. Allard had begun workouts to potentially return to the field in early May, and scouts were speculating he could get back on a mound for some private workouts before the draft, but clubs likely were going to have to consider last summer's performance and this spring's medical reports as the key information for where to rank Allard.