Benton’s Allen will parlay spectacular freshman season at Tech into portal dollars
By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Good news and bad news can be the same thing in college sports.
Thank the new paradigm of the transfer portal. Your player gets recognized for a very good season? Wonderful. The other extreme? Whether prompted from other schools, or a sudden recognition of possible new opportunities that would logically include NIL potential for quite significant money, the player decides to try to climb the ladder.
The latest case with local interest unfolded when Benton product Thomas Allen announced he was leaving Louisiana Tech and was shopping for a new college baseball program on X, a couple of days before he received second-team Freshman All-America honors Monday from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Allen’s post caught Bulldog fans by surprise – “shock” was a word bandied about in media reports.
In this instance, Allen was on the radar of Power 4 programs before the Freshman All-America news broke. Wednesday, reports indicated a visit to Arkansas is already booked, doubtless with more to follow.
The right-hander swiftly rose as one of Tech’s top bullpen arms in his first season. He made 19 appearances, 18 in relief, posting a 3.54 ERA and a 5-3 record through 48.1 innings on the mound. He punched out 49 batters and opponents were held to just a .195 average at the plate. His five saves were the second-most on the team and tied for the sixth-most in Conference USA.
Allen’s .192 opposing batting average against CUSA opponents is the lowest average by a Bulldog pitcher since Tech joined the conference. His four saves in league play tied for the sixth-most by a Bulldog against league opponents, along with his 24 hits in CUSA play being the second-least recorded by a Tech pitcher.
“I want to thank the coaching staff, my teammates, and everyone at Louisiana Tech for giving me the opportunity to grow as a player this year,” Allen posted on social media. “I am incredibly grateful for my time in Ruston and appreciate all the support I have received. After much thought, prayer, and conversations with my family, I have decided to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal with three years of eligibility remaining.”
Tech coach Lane Burroughs had previously stated plans to move Allen into his weekend rotation for 2027. Now he’ll have to replace him.
Much the same scenario unfolded after this season at Northwestern State, where left-hander Brody Trosclair was named Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, then entered the portal. He visited Arkansas, Auburn, Florida and LSU before picking Tennessee. He told Baton Rouge radio host Matt Moscona he was going to the highest bidder.
Trosclair shined for the Demons with a 5-1 record and a 1.89 ERA in 10 appearances and four starts. The Thibodaux High product struck out 55 in 38 innings of work, walking 11. Opponents tallied a .222 batting average against him. He allowed just eight extra base hits.
Trosclair made the All-Southland Conference first team after he was unscored upon in his first five relief appearances and did not allow an earned run in 13.2 innings of relief work.
He suffered a season-ending injury in April and had elbow surgery, and is anticipating a return to the mound next March.
Like Allen, he’s moved on from a solid mid-major program into the big-time NIL world.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com