Former top Atlanta Braves prospect Kolby Allard is yet again being kicked to the curb by the starter's latest team.
Despite the team's need for pitching, the Cleveland Guardians are moving on from Allard, designating the veteran for assignment. This doesn't come as a surprise for a player who simply has never been able to live up to expectations.
Former Braves Starter Kolby Allard DFA'd by Guardians
The Braves drafted Allard in the first round of the 2015 draft, with the pitcher consistently remaining among the team's top prospects. However, as things continued to stall, Atlanta opted to trade the pitcher to the Texas Rangers in exchange for bullpen arm Chris Martin before the 2019 trade deadline.
Martin would become an important piece for the team each of the next two seasons, helping fuel Atlanta's World Series run. The veteran reliever was a big piece of a bullpen group that in many ways defined the team's battle to the top. It helped matters as well that Atlanta had no reason to regret the move with Allard struggling in his new landing spot. The Rangers quickly figured out why the Braves were so willing to move on from the starter, with attempts to establish himself at the big league level failing.
This would force the Rangers to eventually move on trading Allard back to Atlanta in exchange for veteran pitcher Jake Odorizzi and cash considerations. After showing a bit of promise in the 2022 season, Allard dealt with an injury that prevented this from continuing, and he would regress the next year. It resulted in the Braves opting not to tender the starter a contract, giving the pitcher a chance to join a division rival.
It wouldn't take the Philadelphia Phillies long to reach the exact conclusion the Braves did with the pitcher. There simply isn't the needed talent to contribute to a big-league rotation. Despite the early promise of his career, Allard isn't able to compete at this level. The Phillies would be forced to designate the starter for assignment, resulting in his free agency this past winter.
Allard would land with Cleveland, where a familiar script would play out, leading to his current free-agent status. It all adds up to a reminder for Atlanta of how volatile prospects can be and how impossible it is to know exactly how things will play out.