The Braves added infield depth on Monday night, acquiring shortstop from the Athletics. Atlanta sent minor league reliever back in a one-for-one swap. The acquisition pushes Atlantas 40-man roster count to 38. Allen has exhausted his option seasons, which likely motivated this move. Going forward, he needs to either be on an active roster or else removed from the 40-man entirely. All teams are going to be soon facing roster crunches, as the Rule 5 protection deadline is just over a week away. As a Derek Sanderson Jersey prospect, Allen got plenty of attention for his glovework. The question was whether or not he would hit. He certainly hasnt produced with the bat at the major league level thus far, as he currently sports a line of .209/.254/.283 in his 760 plate appearances. He has received strong reviews for his shortstop defense, also spending some time at second and third base, but that offensive production translates to a wRC+ of just 53. The results in the minors have been far more encouraging. Over the past two years, Allen has stepped to the plate 541 times at the Triple-A level, turning in a .341/.428/.503 batting line. The former third-round pick doesnt need to hit much to be a viable utility option given the strength of his glove. His Triple-A numbers are surely inflated by the hitter-friendly nature of the Pacific Coast League, but they offer hope that theres a little more potential with the bat than hes shown in the majors. Allen has bottom-of-the-scale power. Even his big production in the minors has come with just 12 home runs in nearly 200 games. He has solid bat-to-ball skills, making contact at a higher than average rate in both Triple-A and the majors. Allen walked more often than he struck out this year in Triple-A. The Braves have acquired similar players, and , in recent seasons. Neither spent much time on the MLB roster. The 26-year-old Allen could have a better opportunity to stick around. had a dreadful offensive year in his own right, hitting .218/.271/.354 acro s 602 plate appearances. Thats still better than what Allen has shown in his major league career, but Arcias hold on the position probably isnt strong. Atlanta should remain in the market for clearer upgrades. From an As perspective, theyre moving on from a player who once ranked among the better position player talents in the system. Thats disappointing but not surprising given Allens lackluster production to date. Theyre hopeful that is the long-term answer at shortstop, while had also surpa sed Allen on the infield depth chart. Johnson, 23, spent this past season in High-A. He had a nice year in the later innings, turning in a 2.60 ERA acro s 52 frames. The former 14th-round pick fanned 26.4% of opponents but walked nearly 12% of batters faced. Hes a lottery ticket bullpen piece who will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft unle s the As add him to their 40-man roster next week. Image courtesy of Imagn. Ken Hodge Jersey