What to expect from Reds’ McLain in the big leagues

When the Reds took Matt McLain out of UCLA with the seventeenth general choose within the 2021 Draft, the hope was he’d be the form of superior faculty hitter who might transfer rapidly via the system and attain Cincinnati sooner relatively than later. Here we’re, lower than two years later, and the center infielder is about to make his large league debut. Mission achieved.

The undeniable fact that it got here collectively that rapidly this season may need shocked some after trying on the form of marketing campaign McLain had throughout his first full 12 months of professional ball. The Reds had been aggressive with assigning McLain, sending him to Double-A to begin out 2022. The group isn’t afraid to push faculty bats, although guys like Nick Senzel and Jonathan India began in High-A earlier than getting bumped as much as Double-A of their first full seasons.

McLain struggled for a lot of the 12 months, ending with a .232/.363/.453 line. The 12 months was not with out positives, together with a .945 OPS at residence and a 15.5 % stroll price. The fundamental offender for the disappointing manufacturing, although, was his general strategy. McLain struck out in additional than 28 % of his plate appearances and had an general miss price, in accordance with Synergy, of 34 %. He was promoting out for energy and whereas the 17 homers for a shortstop/second baseman had been good, his general hit instrument suffered an excessive amount of. He was gassed when he obtained to the Arizona Fall League, and he completed his stint there with a .657 OPS.

Even with that, the Reds by no means actually hesitated to ship him as much as Triple-A to begin the 2023 season. The confidence in his instruments and his make-up, that he’d make obligatory changes, by no means wavered, so as much as Louisville he went. It’s trying like they’d him pegged accurately, is not it?

We had nudged McLain off our Top 100 after he completed the 2022 season at No. 73, then put him again on the listing with our first replace on Sunday evening, by accident (however completely) timed with the announcement of his first name to the large leagues. He’s now at No. 95, and if he retains doing what he’s been doing offensively with the Reds, his days as a prospect are numbered.

McLain arrives with a strong .348/.474/.710 line. His 1.184 OPS leads all Minor Leaguers with 100 or extra plate appearances. He’s within the prime 5 in ISO (.362), wRC+ (193) and wOBA (.499) together with extra customary classes like residence runs (12) and RBIs (40).

What’s the explanation for the turnaround and, extra importantly, can Reds followers count on extra of this within the large league lineup?

The reply to the second query is sure, albeit with the same old caveat of letting a younger participant get his toes underneath him earlier than anticipating an excessive amount of. Why so bullish after a small pattern in comparison with final 12 months’s full season? It’s how he’s going about doing it.

McLain clearly discovered from getting out of his strategy and swing a 12 months in the past and is a distinct hitter this 12 months. He’s clearly tapping into his right-handed energy, displaying shocking pop given his 5-foot-8 stature. But he’s doing it with out sacrificing the rest, in contrast to what he did a 12 months in the past.

The proof is within the numbers. He’s lower down on his swing and miss significantly, putting out simply 19.7 % of the time whereas nonetheless seeing pitches and drawing walks (16.8 % price). That general miss price has shrunk to 26 % up to now this 12 months and he’s making extra contact throughout the board, it doesn’t matter what opposing pitchers are throwing at him.

And he’s doing it with out giving up his skill to influence the baseball. According to Statcast, McLain already had 29 balls hit 100 mph or more durable in simply 38 Triple-A video games. He’s discovered himself as a hitter and so long as he continues to belief his gameplan, he has the prospect to be a really productive one in Cincy.

He’ll be doing it largely as a shortstop, it appears. To date, Kevin Newman and Jose Barrero have gotten the reps on the premium place and have hit a mixed .230 with 12 extra-base hits. McLain will likely be an improve offensively and whereas he’s not the defender Barrero is, he’s a constantly regular defender. Plus, he can slide over to second base seamlessly to offer India a day without work at any time when that’s wanted. That could be his finest long-term residence, however that’s a dialog for one more day.

For now, Reds followers ought to get pleasure from McLain’s arrival and enhance to the lineup at quick, his superior strategy on the plate, his skill to run the bases properly and the form of blue collar, grinder vibe he brings to the ballpark each day.