McLain takes hot play into the desert
GLENDALE, Ariz. – When the Reds selected Matt McLain with the 17th overall pick in the 2021 Draft out of UCLA, he immediately looked to be on track to become the club’s starting shortstop for years to come so long as his development progressed.
Since then, Elly De La Cruz (No. 1 Reds prospect) has emerged as a one-of-a-kind power/speed threat (28 homers, 47 steals this year) and Noelvi Marte (CIN 2) and Edwin Arroyo (CIN 3) arrived at the 2022 Trade Deadline in a blockbuster deal with Seattle. All four are primarily shortstops and rank within the Top 75 prospects in baseball, per MLB Pipeline.
McLain and Marte have held down the left side of the infield for the Glendale Desert Dogs through the first week of Arizona Fall League action, with McLain at the forefront of Friday afternoon’s 10-6 win over Scottsdale. Cincinnati’s No. 5 prospect collected an RBI with a bases-loaded walk in the second, before ripping a two-run double to left-center in the third.
McLain described his mindset over the next six weeks succinctly: “Win more.”
Fans in attendance at Camelback Ranch won as well when McLain ripped his double, pocketing free hamburger coupons that earned him a round of applause. Through three AFL appearances, MLB’s No. 73 overall prospect is hitting .300 with a .500 on-base percentage to boot.
McLain comes to Arizona on the heels of spending the 2022 year with Double-A Chattanooga, where he compiled a .905 OPS through the first two months of the season. His offensive production hit a roadblock during the summer as wrist inflammation put him on the shelf for nearly a month. That missed time paved the way for an AFL stint, which had its own layoff period following the conclusion of the regular season.
“I worked out, I hit, stayed in shape as much as I could; I took ground balls,” McLain said. “But there’s nothing like playing in a game. So the first day I was sore, but that’s baseball. It’s fun getting to play the next day.”
But beyond the fanfare and hard-hit balls, it’s where McLain has carried his glove that has been noteworthy. Starting alongside Marte for three games, McLain has held down short on each occasion. The four starts at the hot corner for Marte mark the first of his pro career.
“He’s good,” McLain said of Marte. “He’s got a lot of range, good arm. He’s fun to play next to.”
Perpetually on the balls of his feet while in the field, McLain boasts above-average arm strength to go along with his highly regarded baseball instincts. He is in constant motion as the pitcher works his way toward the plate, a method honed in an attempt to get as solid of a read as possible.
“I just try and see the ball off the bat, as deep as I can, as close to contact as I can -- if I can do that, I can get a good first step,” McLain said. “Really, after that, it’s just continuing to use my feet. But it all starts with how you get ready and prepare.”
Upon his return to action in July, the Reds began to experiment with McLain getting reps at second base with De La Cruz joining him in Chattanooga. Now with Glendale, the 23-year-old will battle for time at short alongside Marte, No. 12 Twins prospect Austin Martin and White Sox prospect Moises Castillo.
“It’s fun to play with each other,” McLain said of the internal competition. “Just [to] learn from them and watch them play and try to pick something up to help myself get better.”
Castillo also plated three runs for the Desert Dogs in their victory, as all nine starters drew at least one walk. Marte’s base on balls came with the bases loaded, giving MLB’s No. 17 overall prospect his second RBI of the Fall League.