Jay Allen II could ironically put another Reds prospect's roster spot at risk

Jay Allen II was the Cincinnati Reds' comp pick in the 2021 MLB Draft as a result of Trevor Bauer signing a three-year, $102 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers during the previous offseason. It's taken a long time for Allen to reach the Triple-A level, but he did so last season.

Various injuries and struggles have always limited Allen's potential, but after hitting .280/.374/.483 at Double-A Chattanooga in 2026, the Reds promoted him to Triple-A for the final month of the season.

As a result, Allen may well have secured a spot on the Reds' 40-man roster this offseason. The 23-year-old is an otherworldly athlete, and he's still just 23 years old. The Reds, needing to protect Allen from the Rule 5 Draft, may cover their bases and add him to the roster next month.

Currently, the Reds' 40-man roster sits at 35, and with half a dozen players set to reach free agency, Cincinnati has little need to "clear a spot" for Allen. But amid all the other roster moves that are likely to take place over the next month, one that stands out as a distinct possibility, is outrighting Leo Balcazar off the 40-man roster.

Jay Allen II could essentially replace Leo Balcazar on the 40-man roster

Once the World Series wraps up, a flurry of roster moves are expected throughout Major League Baseball. The impending MLB lockout will only hastens matters all the more, and several teams may look to make various roster moves and free agent signings before the December 1 deadline.

The Reds have already outrighted Ivan Johnson to the minors, and Balcazar could be right behind. The shortstop turned some heads during the Arizona Fall League last year, and helped to secure a spot on the Reds' roster. But he's done little to retain it heading into the winter.

Much like Allen, Balcazar received a late-season call-up to Triple-A. His numbers at Double-A Chattanoota and Triple-A Louisville were striking similar, and combined, he posted a .239/.329/.364 slash line with an 83 wRC+. Those numbers are a far cry from what the organization saw in 2025 (.263/.339/.381 with a 106 wRC+).

Balcazar also dropped all the way to No. 25 in MLB Pipeline's revamped prospect rankings, with the outlet citing an inability to play shortstop over the long haul and a penchant for chasing balls outside the strike zone as two of the biggest reasons why.

As noted earlier, there won't be a rush to dump Balcazar, but it's not uncommon to see such players outrighted before a huge wave of roster moves take place. At this time last year, the Reds moved Santiago Espinal, Ian Gibaut, and Sam Benschoter off the roster. In 2024, the same thing happened to Austin Wynns, Nick Martini, and Ty France. Such a transaction could be in Balcazar's future.

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