5 potential hitting coaches if Cardinals' Turner Ward is fired

Brandon Allen

Brandon Allen is the second internal option on this list. He joined the organization as a coach in 2017 for the Johnson City Cardinals, the team's Rookie-league affiliate. He moved up the ranks each year to become the hitting coach for the Memphis Redbirds in 2020. Since November of 2022, Allen has been an assistant hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, and he still holds that position.

Allen is the most trusted member of the hitting staff behind Turner Ward, so his ascendancy to the top position may be a no-brainer for an organization that prefers to promote from within. As a player, Allen spent time in eight different organizations including the Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres, and finally with the Cincinnati Reds. He also spent time playing in Japan.

Since Allen has seen every level of the Cardinals' organization, he would be a logical successor to Turner Ward. He's worked his way up from the bottom of the organization, and he's familiar with what is expected of Cardinal players, coaches, and staff members.

Allen, 38, has received praise from manager Oli Marmol when the offense has struggled, particularly in an interview back in May of this year. Marmol spoke to the dedication that Turner Ward, Brandon Allen, and game planning coach Packy Elkins have when the offense is sputtering.

Promoting Brandon Allen feels like a "Cardinal" move. It isn't sexy, it isn't noisy, but it is comfortable and familiar. He's worthy of a promotion given his toiling in the lower levels of baseball, but the team's poor offensive output these past three years doesn't bode well for his case.