Nick Allen is the shortstop of the future for the Athletics, but he never will be mistaken for Fernando Tatis Jr., Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor or any other power bat who mans the position.
Allen, who currently is Oakland's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has hit 12 homers in 363 career minor league games. Slugging is not his game -- defense is his calling card -- but he can get ahold of one on occasion.
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On Tuesday night at the Oakland Coliseum, Allen did just that, connecting for his first career MLB homer on a changeup from lefty Marco Gonzalez in the bottom of the seventh inning during the A's 8-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
Allen's first big league homer traveled 378 feet, bouncing off the top of the out-of-town scoreboard in front of the left field bleachers. The ball landed on the field, meaning the A's were easily able to retrieve the keepsake.
Allen, who tried to contain a smile while talking to reporters, already knows where that baseball is going.
Oakland Athletics
"Probably just give it to my parents," Allen told reporters after the game. "I'll definitely cherish that but for right now, just keep it in their hands so they can keep it safe."
Per Statcast, Allen hit the ball at 95.8 miles per hour, but on a very warm day in the Bay Area, he managed to get just enough of it.
"It's Oakland so I didn't know if it was going out or not, but I'm glad it did and just glad I knocked that one out," Allen said.
In parts of five seasons in the minors, Allen never has hit below .254. After going 1-for-3 on Tuesday night, his batting average with the A's is up to .192 in 26 at-bats.
"Nick had a nice night offensively," A's manager Mark Kotsay told reporters. "Thought his at-bats were good. Hard-hit ball to the right side of the diamond, which was the focus tonight. And then to see him turn on a changeup, which was the result of the at-bat where he hit the fastball the other way and was able to stay on the changeup and get it elevated for his first major league home run. So, nice night for Nicky."
Allen's first homer was overshadowed by the Mariners' offensive eruption, which included back-to-back homers in the top of the seventh by Julio Rodriguez, Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suárez off A's reliever Austin Pruitt.
Winker and Suárez, who were traded together from the Cincinnati Reds to the Mariners before the season, made MLB history by becoming the first pair of teammates to be part of back-to-back-to-back homers for two different teams.
A's starter James Kaprielian bounced back from a rough start in Boston by going 5 1/3 innings against the Mariners. He allowed five hits, two earned runs, walked two and struck out seven but saw his record fall to 0-5 this season.
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The loss drops the A's to an MLB-worst 23-46 this season and puts them at 8-26 at home so far. They are the only team in baseball with single digit wins in their own ballpark.
On a night to forget for the A's, Allen will always remember his first big league blast.