Former top prospect Allan healthy, on comeback trail at Mets camp

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- One scar runs up Matt Allan's right forearm, a reminder of an operation he would rather forget. A second frames his elbow, where two different surgeons cut in to replace his ulnar collateral ligament. A third, on Allan¡¯s hamstring, offers another reminder of his challenging past.

It¡¯s been nearly six years since the Mets selected Allan in the third round of the 2019 Draft, paying him a well-above-slot bonus to convince him to turn pro. It¡¯s been nearly four years since Allan underwent the first of two Tommy John surgeries -- an operation that part of him always expected. It¡¯s been more than three years since doctors cut back into Allan¡¯s elbow to transpose a nerve. It¡¯s been two years since they knifed into his leg to harvest a tendon for his second Tommy John.

Now, for the first time since spring 2021, Allan is a healthy player. He¡¯s been throwing bullpen sessions and live batting practice, sitting 94-97 mph, with an eye toward pitching in Minor League games once they begin. When camp breaks next month, Allan expects to report to an affiliate for the first time since 2019.

¡°Definitely, the dream is there,¡± Allan said. ¡°It¡¯s easy to get caught up in where I want to go, but the biggest thing I learned from rehab is I just have to be where my feet are. I have to be present and grounded and where I am today. ¡­ Stack as many of those days as possible, and then we¡¯ll see that dream lived out.¡±

What¡¯s unique about Allan¡¯s story is not the fact that he was a blue-chip prospect whose road to the Majors was interrupted. That sort of thing happens all the time. It¡¯s the fact that Allan has managed to keep plowing forward despite an impossible array of challenges strewn across his path.

Of course, Allan is no ordinary prospect. A clear first-round talent out of Seminole High School in Sanford, Fla., Allan fell to Round 3 in part because of signability concerns -- but also, he says now, because of elbow trouble he began experiencing as young as age 15. The Mets took him anyway, dedicating 90 percent of their bonus pool to the trio of him, first-rounder Brett Baty and second-rounder Josh Wolf, the latter of whom became part of the Francisco Lindor trade.

The idea was simple: Allan was talented enough for the Mets to gamble on.

It wasn¡¯t until he underwent three surgeries in 21 months that things went sideways. The first of those, Allan half-expected. The second was a nuisance that many Tommy John patients must eventually endure. The third, he said, was a ¡°knife to the heart.¡±

But ¡°as hard as it was to digest,¡± Allan continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think anything happens by mistake.¡±

It¡¯s not unheard of for pitchers to come back from multiple Tommy John operations. (Among those who have done so is Jacob deGrom, one of Allan¡¯s throwing partners during the pandemic.) For many, the mental grind can be as challenging as the physical.

To overcome that part, Allan relied on faith and family. He calls his recent momentum ¡°crazy progress,¡± saying this is ¡°the best version of myself I¡¯ve ever been.¡±

¡°It¡¯s a heck of a journey, if you think about it, to get back to a mound competitively,¡± Mets senior vice president of player development Andy Green said. ¡°Every person that¡¯s been around him has raved about the type of person he is, his makeup, his work ethic. I don¡¯t know that it¡¯s possible that a coaching group and a rehab group and a training staff could be pulling any harder for somebody than we all are pulling for him.¡±

Where this ends up is anyone¡¯s guess. In many ways, Allan¡¯s journey is only just beginning. The Mets will let his results -- both in the training room and on the mound -- dictate how quickly he can climb the Minor League ladder. He still, amazingly, has time on his side. At 23, Allan is younger than the organization¡¯s top overall prospect, Brandon Sproat.

Like any developing pitcher, Allan simply needs to pitch. He¡¯s entering the next chapter of his story now, away from the scars. These days, he tries not to look at them, even if he appreciates the reminder of where he¡¯s been.

¡°It¡¯s long, man,¡± Allan said, glancing at the one on his elbow. ¡°It¡¯s long, but she¡¯s pretty.¡±