Works on defense during shutdown Allen, who has previously carried a reputation as a hit-first catcher, worked regularly on his defense during the shutdown as part of his bid to secure the backup catcher job, Mart... Impact Allen only slashed .215/.282/.277 across his first big-league 71 plate appearances last season in San Diego, but he hit between .273 and .330 in his last five minor-league stops before his promotion, eclipsing 20 home runs in three of those stints. In a fierce battle with Jonah Heim for the backup catcher job behind Sean Murphy when spring training was suspended, Allen was able to focus on improving his defense and footwork behind the dish while following a routine outlined for him by bullpen coach Marcus Jensen during the shutdown, as he regularly found workout partners such as Nate Lowe, Francisco Lindor and various pitchers in the Orlando, Florida area. Given that teams will be allowed to carry 30 players on the active roster for the first two weeks of the season, there remains a chance manager Bob Melvin keeps all three catchers to start the regular season.
JULY 15, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
