Kolby Allard Bio
Kolby Kenneth Allard is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cleveland Guardians. He was selected by the Braves with the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft.
Early Life and Background
Kolby Kenneth Allard was born on August 13, 1997, in Anaheim, California. He is the son of Kenny and Kristi Allard and has a younger brother. He began playing baseball at the age of five and focused specifically on pitching when he was ten years old, setting the foundation for a career built around the craft of pitching.
Allard attended San Clemente High School in San Clemente, California, where he developed into one of the top pitching prospects in the country. As a junior, he posted a 1.32 earned run average (ERA) with 98 strikeouts across 62+2⁄3 innings pitched, numbers that put him on the national scouting map. Following that season, he appeared in the Perfect Game All-American Classic and was named MVP after striking out the side in his inning of work.
Later that summer, Allard represented the United States as a member of the USA Baseball 18U National Team. His senior year at San Clemente was cut short by a stress fracture in his back, but he was still projected as a top-10 pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. He had previously committed to play college baseball for the UCLA Bruins before electing to go pro.
Kolby Allard Career
Early Career (2015-2017)
The Atlanta Braves selected Allard with the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, and his high school batterymate Lucas Herbert was also taken by the Braves, 54th overall. Allard signed with the Braves on July 9 for $3 million. He began his professional career with the Gulf Coast League Braves in August 2015, posting three scoreless appearances before being shut down for what was described as a minor back procedure.
Allard spent 2016 with both the Rome Braves and the Danville Braves, and in 2017 he pitched for the Mississippi Braves, continuing to move steadily through Atlanta’s farm system. He was invited to spring training the next year and began 2018 with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, where he logged 109+1⁄3 innings with a 2.80 ERA, 87 strikeouts, and 33 walks. That performance earned him his first big-league call-up.
Atlanta Braves Debut (2018-2019)
Allard was promoted to the major leagues for the first time on July 30, 2018, and made his MLB debut the next day against the Miami Marlins. He pitched five innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits, two walks, and one strikeout. At 20 years old, he became the youngest left-handed pitcher since Charlie Vaughan in 1966 to record a win in his debut.
He opened 2019 back at Triple-A Gwinnett, going 7-5 with a 4.17 ERA over 110 innings before being traded. On July 30, 2019, Allard was dealt to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Chris Martin, ending his first stint in Atlanta.
Texas Rangers Era (2019-2022)
After the trade, Allard was optioned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, made one start, and was quickly promoted to the Rangers. In 9 starts for Texas in 2019, he went 4-2 with a 4.96 ERA, 52 hits, and 33 strikeouts over 45+1⁄3 innings, a promising start to his American League career.
He struggled in 2020, going 0-6 with a 7.75 ERA, 20 walks, and 33+2⁄3 innings; his six losses ranked second in the American League. In 2021, he posted a 3-12 record with a 5.41 ERA and 104 strikeouts over 124+2⁄3 innings. His 12 losses were fifth-most in the AL, and the 29 home runs he allowed ranked seventh. Among AL pitchers with at least 120 innings, he had the league’s fifth-highest ERA and MLB’s third-highest home runs per nine innings rate at 2.09. In 2022, he went 1-2 with a 7.29 ERA, surrendering nine home runs in 21 innings before being moved again.
Atlanta Braves Second Stint (2022-2023)
On November 9, 2022, Allard was traded back to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Jake Odorizzi and cash considerations. A Grade 2 right oblique strain in spring training sent him to the 60-day injured list to open 2023. He began a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers on June 18 and was activated on June 28.
Allard slotted in as the starting pitcher against the Minnesota Twins and earned a win, pitching 4+2⁄3 innings with three hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts. On July 18, 2023, he was placed back on the 60-day injured list with left shoulder nerve inflammation. For the season, he went 0-1 with a 6.57 ERA in 12.1 innings, allowing 16 hits. He was non-tendered and became a free agent on November 17.
Philadelphia Phillies Era (2024)
On January 23, 2024, Allard signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies and was optioned to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs to begin the season. The Phillies promoted him to the major leagues on July 28, 2024. In 23 minor league appearances (17 starts) during 2024, he compiled a 3-9 record and 5.66 ERA with 84 strikeouts across 90+2⁄3 innings for the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils and Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
In 7 games (4 starts) for the Phillies, he recorded a 5.00 ERA with 23 strikeouts over 27 innings. On November 4, 2024, he was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Lehigh Valley, but he rejected the assignment and elected free agency.
Cleveland Guardians Era (2025)
On February 3, 2025, Allard signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Guardians that included an invitation to spring training. He began the year with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, recording a 4.86 ERA with 13 strikeouts over his first four starts. On April 26, the Guardians selected his contract, adding him to the active roster.
On July 3, he was designated for assignment by the Guardians, then elected free agency after clearing waivers on July 8. The next day, Cleveland re-signed Allard to a minor league contract and selected him to the active roster. In 33 appearances for the Guardians, he posted a 2-2 record and 2.63 ERA with 42 strikeouts over 65 innings. On November 6, he was removed from the 40-man roster, sent outright to Columbus, rejected the assignment, and elected free agency.
Kolby Allard Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kolby Kenneth Allard was raised in a close-knit family in Anaheim, California, by his parents Kenny and Kristi Allard. He has a younger brother who grew up alongside him in a sports-focused household. His father Kenny and mother Kristi supported his early focus on baseball, which began when he was five years old and sharpened when he started concentrating on pitching at age ten.
Personal Life
Allard grew up in Southern California, attending San Clemente High School before turning professional at 17. His path from a high school prospect in San Clemente to a major league pitcher has been shaped by his family ties to the region, including his parents Kenny and Kristi and his younger brother.
2025 Season Performance
Allard’s 2025 season was defined by his late-career resurgence with the Cleveland Guardians, the fourth MLB franchise he joined since being drafted. After starting the year in Triple-A Columbus, he was promoted on April 26 and finished his Guardians tenure with a 2-2 record, a 2.63 ERA, and 42 strikeouts over 65 innings across 33 appearances, his strongest big-league stretch in years.
His year also included a brief detour through waivers and free agency in early July, but Cleveland quickly brought him back on a new minor league deal and re-selected his contract. Even after being designated for assignment a second time and outrighted to Columbus in November, Allard continued to show that he could still get big-league hitters out at a high rate.
Looking ahead, Allard elected free agency after the 2025 season, leaving his next stop open. Coming off his best ERA in recent memory and a 42-strikeout season in Cleveland’s bullpen, he is positioned to attract interest from clubs looking for a left-handed depth arm with prior starting experience.