Payton Allen enters his first season with the Redbirds, serving as the director of pitching development and baseball operations.

Allen recently graduated from Grambling State University, concluding his five-year playing career.

The Bentonville, Ark., native began his collegiate career at the University of Kansas, spending one year in Lawrence. He appeared in 27 games with 12 starts, tallying a 2-2 record and a 4.95 ERA across 20 innings. Offensively, Allen slashed .235/316/.294 with 12 hits, three doubles, six RBIs, and six walks. He earned Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team honors after his freshman season.

Allen entered the transfer portal, where he committed to the University of Houston. He redshirted the 2023 season before transferring to Tyler Junior College for the 2024 season. Offensively, Allen appeared in 22 games for the Apaches, recording 13 hits, six RBIs, four doubles, and nine walks. He made six appearances on the mound, tossing 11 innings with 13 strikeouts.

Allen traveled east to Grambling State for his final two years in collegiate baseball. With the Tigers, he appeared in 35 games with seven starts, tossing 99 1/3 innings with a 5-3 record. He collected 54 strikeouts throughout his two years with the program.

Following graduation, Allen began his coaching career with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, a collegiate summer baseball team in the Alaska Baseball League. He served as the team’s pitching coach after playing for the organization in 2024.