Back in 2019, Matt Allan was supposed to be the New York Mets’ golden ticket. A top-tier pitching prospect with a high-octane fastball and nasty off-speed stuff, he was so highly regarded that the Mets had to go over slot to sign him after drafting him in the third round.
He quickly justified the investment, posting a 2.61 ERA with 14 strikeouts in just 10.1 innings between Rookie ball and Single-A. Everything pointed to him rising quickly through the system and becoming a crucial part of the Mets’ rotation by 2021 or 2022.
Then, the nightmare began.
Years Lost to Surgery and Setbacks
Pitchers are no strangers to adversity—it’s practically part of the job description. But Allan’s journey took that to an extreme. He didn’t throw a single competitive pitch between 2020 and 2024, his career derailed by multiple Tommy John surgeries and other health issues. Every time it seemed like he might turn a corner, another setback sent him back to square one.
For most players, four years away from the game is a death sentence. Development stalls, confidence wavers, and the game moves on without you. But Allan refused to fade into the background. Now, for the first time since 2021, he’s fully healthy—and he’s showing why the Mets were so high on him in the first place.
The Heat is Back
Last month, reports surfaced that Allan was sitting in the 94-97 mph range, a promising sign for a pitcher who hadn’t been on a mound in years. But on Wednesday, he took things up a notch.
“Matt Allan was up to 99 mph on the back fields yesterday, according to multiple people present. He struck out four batters in two innings,” Mets insider Anthony DiComo posted on X.
Matt Allan was up to 99 mph on the back fields yesterday, according to multiple people present. He struck out four batters in two innings.
Here’s our story from earlier this spring on the comeback Mets prospect:https://t.co/vQV0Tv4Kwb
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 19, 2025
That’s the kind of velocity that gets people talking. It’s also the kind of velocity that could put Allan back on the radar as a legitimate future piece for the Mets.
Eyes on the Future
Allan turns 24 next month, which, in baseball terms, means time is still on his side. Many pitchers don’t hit their prime until their mid-to-late 20s, and if he can stay healthy, he still has a shot at fulfilling the promise he once showed. But Allan isn’t getting ahead of himself.
“The dream is there,” he told DiComo last month. “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.”
After everything he’s been through, it’s hard not to root for him. Allan still has a mountain to climb, but for the first time in years, he’s got his cleats in the dirt and his eyes on the top.