One of the biggest surprises of Atlanta's spring has been the emergence of former Oakland Athletics prospect Nick Allen. The shortstop was known for his stellar defense and at one time was expected to be the future for the A's at the position. However, Allen's bat was never able to catch up to the next level and the team moved on in a throwaway trade. One of the A's might live to regret if the spring performance from Allen is any indication of his future.
Not only is the shortstop making a compelling case to make Atlanta's Opening Day roster there is some thought Allen could become a threat to Orlando Arcia. Nick Allen has been a force at the plate driving the ball with unexpected power and consistently battling at the plate. If Allen can put even half of this production and effort into regular season at-bats, he is a starting shortstop in this league.
The elite defense is a known asset, only the offensive concerns have held Allen back from being a part of a team's everyday lineup.
Nick Allen Impressing in Spring Training While Orlando Arcia Can't Get Out of His Own Way
Orlando Arcia's dismal spring performance has turned this into a very real debate. The spring stats would be far less alarming for Arcia if the struggles didn't date back two seasons. Arcia had an incredible offensive start to the 2023 season before seeing his production fall off a cliff in the second half of the season. The 2024 season continued to be a struggle for Arcia at the plate. When it matters most the shortstop simply cannot put up competitive at-bats with any level of consistency.
With that said, Arcia is a far more accomplished major-league hitter than Nick Allen. Making the case for Allen to start is based completely on spring stats and a lack of trust in Orlando Arcia. What makes this a potentiall interesting debate is the fit that Arcia is on the Atlanta bench. Being able to play so many positions gives Atlanta a valuable bench piece that Arcia is far better suited to fill.
Nick Allen or Arcia will be placed in the final spot in the Atlanta lineup and simply need to compete. The Braves aren't expecting great numbers from the position but simply need a level of consistency Arcia hasn't offered throughout the spring or in his career.
Allen's defense is unquestionably an upgrade over Arcia furthering his case to be given a look at the position. Orlando Arcia is going to give you a predictable performance at this point in his career. You understand the clear ceiling and what you can always plug back into your starting lineup. Giving Allen a chance to win the starting job is about finding out if the spring performance is an outlier or if Allen has figured things out at the plate and solved your shortstop concerns.