Jeff Allison

Jeffrey M. Allison

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.
• High School Veterans Memorial High School

• Born November 7, 1984 in Lynn, MA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Jeff Allison had a phenomenal senior year of high school. He allowed no earned runs in 64 innings and only 13 hits and 9 walks, while striking out 142. He went 9-0 with one save and won the Baseball America High School Player of the Year Award. He was selected by the Florida Marlins in the first round (16th overall pick) of the 2003 amateur draft. Scouted by Steve Payne, he did not sign for two months while arguing for more money, finally signing for $1.85 million. With the GCL Marlins, he went 0-2, but with a 1.00 ERA in three starts then was sidelined due to shoulder problems. Baseball America named him the 24th best prospect among right-handed pitchers.

He did not pitch in 2004 and nearly died from an overdose of oxycontin that July. He returned to the diamond in 2005, going 5-4 with a 4.18 ERA in 17 starts for the Greensboro Grasshoppers. However, he was suspended by the Marlins for undisclosed reasons in 2006, but it became known that substance abuse had once again gotten the best of him. In August of that year, he was hospitalized following another apparent overdose. In October, he faced felony charges for possession of drug paraphernalia, stolen vehicles and heroin, and resisting a public officer. He was scheduled to appear in court in December but never showed up, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The Marlins were very supportive, however, with owner Jeffrey Loria taking a personal interest in making sure the young pitcher received the help he needed. He managed to put his life back together, remaining sober and enrolling in online courses at the University of Phoenix.

Allison returned to the diamond in 2008, posting a 9-8 record for the Jupiter Hammerheads. He put up a 5.22 ERA with 57 walks and only 69 strikeouts in 120 2/3 innings over 25 starts and 1 relief appearance. It was an elbow injury that took away his outstanding stuff, however, but he continued pitching despite only limited success. In 2009, he was 8-9, 3.68 pitching mainly for Jupiter. He then spent all of 2010 and 2011 with the AA Jacksonville Suns, but the results were mediocre: 6-11, 5.04 the first season, and 3-4, 6.26 in 2011, by which time he was mainly a mop-up man.

Sources include 2004 Baseball Almanac

Related Sites

• Article from mlb.com on Allison's recovery from substance abuse