During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: An alphabetical player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, with the final week focusing on players added after the season ended.

Player: Greg Allen

Position: Outfield

Throws: Right

Bats: Switch

Age: 28

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 185 pounds

2021 MLB statistics: Allen batted .270/.417/.432 with four doubles, one triple and two RBIs in 15 games with the New York Yankees.

Contract: Not eligible for arbitration until 2023.

Acquired: Claimed off waivers from the Yankees on Nov. 5.

This past season: A San Diego native who was recruited by Tony Gwynn to play for San Diego State, Allen was impacted by the lessons he learned from the Padres legend and Hall of Famer.

“I think one of the biggest takeaways I had from him during my time at San Diego State, he always talked to us about slowing the game down,” Allen told NJ.com. “That was something that he preached. … He was huge on slowing the game down, just being in the moment and doing things the right way.”

That has been a challenge for Allen, who set himself apart with his speed in four seasons with Cleveland and one with San Diego before being traded to the Yankees last January for reliever James Reeves.

Allen has the ability to get on base (.307) and the speed to be dangerous on the basepaths — he had more stolen bases (21) than RBIs (20) in 2018, when he batted .257 with a .654 OPS in 91 games — but his career slugging percentage (.348) hurt him.

The Yankees’ crowded outfield didn’t help, either. Allen started the season at their alternate training site then was sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Allen shined, slashing .326/.442/.465 with 13 doubles, one triple, five home runs and 28 RBIs in 73 games.

It is a triple for Greg Allen! I think he's gonna make this team soon. pic.twitter.com/dVJCvbV81r

— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) July 21, 2021

Allen was called up to the Yankees in mid-July when All-Star Aaron Judge went on the covid-19 injured list and Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier and Aaron Hicks were out. In Allen’s first five games, he went 5 for 12 with two doubles, a triple, three walks and three stolen bases.

Against Boston, he broke up Nathan Eovaldi’s no-hitter with a double in the fifth inning, and the Yankees went on to win, 3-1. The next day, he singled and scored a run, drove in another with a sacrifice fly and then drew a walk and scored in a 9-1 win.

After batting .200 (5 for 25) in the next 10 games, however, the Yankees took advantage of a rule that didn’t require Allen to be placed on waivers because of the covid outbreak. They claimed Jonathan Davis off waivers from Toronto and sent Allen back to Triple-A.

“That was obviously very difficult,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “just because of, first and foremost, what a good pro he’s been in the room but also he’s performed and helped us win games.”

Those traits attracted the Pirates to claim Allen off waivers in November, with general manager Ben Cherington pointing to his “great reputation as a teammate” among things they liked.

But, for a player who has almost as many career triples (seven) as he does home runs (eight), Cherington was intrigued by Allen’s improved slugging percentage (.432) and OPS (.849) in the minors last season.

“He had a ton success in Triple-A with the Yankees offensively,” Cherington said. “Started to hit for more power. We’re hoping that he unlocked something there.”

Greg Allen gettin some again. 2B pic.twitter.com/aLoMfx1e0I

— Pinstripe Strong (@PinstripeStrong) July 28, 2021

The future: Cherington said Allen is capable of playing all three outfield positions, even though he’s played twice as many in center (112) than left (61) and only 31 in right, where the Pirates have a hole.

The Pirates return an All-Star in Bryan Reynolds and signed Ben Gamel to a one-year deal for $1.8 million, so Allen is expected to compete with the likes of Anthony Alford and Jared Oliva for one of the four spots in the outfield this spring.

“He’s always been a really good defender,” Cherington said. “Kind of brings a different element to our outfield mix with his speed and the switch-hit. … We really believe he can be squarely in the mix for a spot in the outfield.”

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