With Major League Baseball training camps getting underway shortly, former Philadelphia Phillies players continue landing jobs for the 2025 season. After some of the bigger names like Jeff Hoffman, Carlos Estévez and Austin Hays inked deals across the league, smaller fish are also getting chances with new teams.
The most recent former Phillies player to sign a new deal is left-hander Kolby Allard, who signed a minor-league contract with the Cleveland Guardians on Monday, per MLB.com. The deal includes a non-roster invitation to major league spring training.
Former Phillies left-hander Kolby Allard couldn't make it work in Philadelphia
Allard, 27, joined the Phillies last winter as organizational pitching depth and got his chance with the big club after injuries and underperformance became an ongoing problem for the fifth spot in the starting rotation. Unfortunately, the former 2015 first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves was unable to live up to the top prospect hype that once followed him.
He made his 2024 season debut with the Phillies with a start on July 28 against the Guardians, throwing four innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits with one strikeout against 17 batters. He was serviceable as a fifth starter, at least at first, holding a 3.50 ERA over his first 18 innings. However, he finished his time with the Phillies with a 5.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 27 innings across seven games (four starts).
It's not surprising the Phillies didn't feel inclined to bring Allard back for 2025. As a minor league flier last offseason, not even his performance in the minors did much to convince the team that he could be a viable option. He posted a 3-9 record with a 5.66 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 90 2/3 innings in 23 games (17 starts) between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Since being drafted by the Braves, Allard has also spent time with the Texas Rangers. He has a career 5.99 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 272 MLB innings over 76 games (42 starts). Now with the Guardians, Allard has another chance to right the ship. At least he's heading to the right place — the Guardians are known for their pitching development. Hopefully it's not too late for Allard to rediscover the form that once had him ranked as a top prospect.