Neil Allen

Neil Allen was born in Kansas City and was drafted by the New York Mets out of Bishop Ward High School in the eleventh round of the 1976 Major League Baseball draft.  Allen made his debut with the Mets in 1979.  He became their closer and saved 67 games over the next four years.

In 1983, Allen was traded to St. Louis for Keith Hernandez.  The Cardinals used him as a starter that season and he went 10-6 with a 3.70 earned run average.  In 1984, Allen returned to the bullpen and was sent to the Yankees in midseason.

Following the 1985 season, Allen was traded to the Chicago White Sox, who converted him back to a starter.  The following season, Allen was 7-2 with a 3.82 ERA.  In 1987, he returned to the Yankees and finished his major league career with Cleveland in 1989.

Over 11 major league seasons, Allen won 58 games and saved 75 with an ERA of 3.88.

Post retirement, Allen began a career as a pitching coach.  After a brief stint in an independent league, he worked in the Toronto, Yankees and Tampa Bay organizations.  He was bullpen coach with the Yankees in 2005 and Minnesota’s pitching coach from 2014-17.  During that time, Allen coached Twins’ All-Star closer Glenn Perkins and up-and-coming star Jose Berrios.