Inside The Mets

New York Mets former top prospect hits major rehab milestone

Four years after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery, Matt Allan is making significant strides in his rehab.

Kerry Kauffman

Mar 26, 2022; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; The New York Mets logo stands in center field before the game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Mar 26, 2022; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; The New York Mets logo stands in center field before the game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
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Six years after being selected by the New York Mets in the third round of the 2019 Draft, Matt Allan is finally healthy.

Allan, 23, has ramped up his rehab to bullpen sessions and live batting practice, hitting the mid-to-high 90s on the radar gun. As reported by Anthony DiComo, the righty struck out two in four innings during his latest live batting practice session; Allan is expected to report to one of the Mets' minor league affiliates for the first time since being drafted.

The fact that Allan has encountered bumps in the road in his quest to the major leagues isn't uncommon, but the circumstances surrounding it are extraordinary.

Considered a blue-chip prospect coming out of high school, Allan revealed that he started experiencing elbow issues at age 15. The Mets took a shot on him regardless, using all but 10% of their bonus pool money on him, second-rounder Josh Wolf, and first-round selection Brett Baty.

Recovering from multiple Tommy John surgeries is relatively common in this era of Major League Baseball. The most grueling part is typically not the physical side of the rehab, but the mental challenges that come with it; for Allan, he has fallen back on a strong inner circle and faith to get him through the rough times.

It would take a crystal ball to determine where Allan ends up. Despite missing nearly six years, he is only 23 years old and still has an abundance of time to develop: to put things in perspective, Allan is younger than Brandon Sproat, the Mets' top prospect who has made two Grapefruit League appearances this spring. The question is how well he will continue to progress in his rehab.

Read More: Mets prospect leans on Yankees star's guidance for MLB ascent

The key for Allan moving forward, just like any young pitcher who lacks experience, is to continue to pitch and develop. The right-hander posted a 1-0 record with an ERA of 1.08 and 11 strikeouts in 8.1 innings in five games in the Gulf Coast League in 2019. He also appeared in one game for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, allowing two runs with three strikeouts in two innings.

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Kerry Kauffman
KERRY KAUFFMAN

Kerry Kauffman is a contributing writer for the Mets On SI site. He has contributed to FanSided, FantasyPros, Sports Injury Alert and Sports Rumor Alert. Kerry graduated from Lehigh University in 1991.

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