The Reds are set to call up infield prospect Matt McLain, according to Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer. McLain is expected to make his MLB debut when the Reds open a series against the Rockies on Monday. Since McLain isn’t on the 40-man roster, Cincinnati may have to make more than one transaction to accommodate his promotion onto the active roster.
The 17th overall pick of the 2021 draft, McLain was a highly touted player in his college days at UCLA, and he has made a quick rise through Cincinnati’s farm system. His breakout year at Triple-A seemed to clinch his promotion, as McLain has hit an outstanding .346/.464/.713 with 12 homers over 168 plate appearances at Triple-A Louisville this season.
Even with just 37 games under his belt at the Triple-A level, these numbers are awfully hard to ignore, and so the 23-year-old will now embark on his next test in the Show. While McLain has played a good deal of second base in the minors, he has exclusively played shortstop this year, and now looks to supplant the Kevin Newman/Jose Barrero combination at shortstop.
McLain was cited on the top-100 prospect lists from MLB Prospectus (77th) and MLB Pipeline (87th) prior to the 2022 season, but didn’t receive any top-100 attention heading into this year, though his Triple-A surge moved him back to 95th on Pipeline’s most recent update to their ranking. As per Pipeline’s scouting report, there was concern over McLain’s big spike in strikeouts at Double-A in 2022, as “much of that stemmed from McLain trying to do too much at the plate as he was trying to figure out who he is as a pro hitter and he sold out for power too often.”
To that end, McLain has drastically and impressively cut down on his swing-and-miss this year, with almost as many walks (27) as strikeouts (33) at Louisville. His plus speed has resulted in 10 steals in 15 attempts at Triple-A, but McLain stole 27 bases in 30 tries at Double-A in 2022.
Baseball America’s little report is a little less optimistic about McLain’s future as a regular, saying “he projects as a super-utility player who can play a variety of positions including shortstop in a pinch.” It remains to be seen if shortstop will remain McLain’s long-term position, though beyond just defensive questions, his usage might also be impacted by the Reds’ oncoming rush of talented young infielders. Elly De La Cruz is one of baseball’s elite prospects and is also expected to make his MLB debut at some point in 2023, and third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand shouldn’t be too far behind on the shuttle from Louisville. Infielders Noelvi Marte, Edwin Arroyo, and Cam Collier are also ranked within Pipeline’s top 100, and of course Jonathan India is already established as the Reds’ second baseman and Spencer Steer has been playing respectably well in his rookie season.
It makes for a pretty nice “problem” for the Reds to have as they sort out who exactly will be part of their infield of the future, and with the team in rebuild mode at least through the rest of 2023, they’ll have plenty of time to keep evaluating these youngsters. McLain will get the first chance at making a first impression, and it could be that he might get bounced around the diamond early if De La Cruz is called up and takes over the shortstop job.
Since McLain wasn’t included on at least two of the preseason top-100 lists from Pipeline, Baseball America or ESPN.com, he won’t qualify for a full year of big league service time even if he finishes in the top two of Rookie Of The Year voting. However, assuming McLain remains in the majors for the rest of 2023, he should bank enough service time to potentially qualify for Super Two status and an extra year of arbitration eligibility.
About daggone time?
Does that mean the Barrero experiment is offically over?
McLain is having a monster season at AAA so far this year. It was only a matter of time before the Reds called him up to see if his offense can play at the big league level. Hopefully he can do well and stick with the big league club. The Reds are quietly putting together a nice collection of young talent and locking up some of said youngsters to long term contracts. If they supplement these players with some decent veterans, the Reds could return to relevance as soon as next season, but it seems like 2025 will be the year where they can put a true playoff contender on the field. It will be great for baseball to see the Reds return to a playoff caliber club on an annual basis.
Drafting in the top five year after year will do that!
McLain was 17th overall the test after they made the expanded playoffs. Collier was 18th overall pick. De la Cruz was an international signing. Marte, Encarnacion-Strand, Steer, and Arroyo were returns in trades. Only India was a top 5 pick. But facts, eh?
Just think that in 2025, it could very well be the Reds & Pirates battling it out for the NL Central title. Both teams are finally heading in the right direction!
No surprise McLain was first as he was the most experienced of the group.
The others will be along, as they work on what they need to prove to get promoted. Some folks are impatient, but it is not always about stats, especially just offensive ones.
“Some folks are impatient”, preceded by “about daggone time?”
I agree with your patient side. This is not about 2023, add the position players (and Abbott) to the big 3 starters as they become ready. The window starts opening next season and the contract extensions and future FA signings will speak volumes.
Go Redlegs !!!
Unleash Elly and CAS
Casali is already in the show. Lol jk
Just bought tickets. If he doesn’t start tomorrow I’m burning things
Your tickets?
After admission obviously
Reds have a few great AAA hitters right now. Hoping they give them a chance this year when they are ready. Pitching going through injury bug with little on the farm to bring up for a few starts!
I could beat Matt McLain up. I wouldn’t but I’m confident I could.
Don’t forget that Matt. Always remember I’m waiting in the wings to beat you up if you don’t perform at the MLB level.
Hey, I like to motivate young ball players with the threat of unprovoked violence. It’s like driveline but more extreme. Do you have a kid that plays baseball? Are they a jerk? Well let me scare your child into being decent at sports!
ITWJWD? NO!
We don’t let the children in our program use acronyms until they earn it through “field credits”.
The acronym you used was only available to upper management and they didn’t deem it funny enough to share.
Who deemed either of your comments funny enough to share?
This reminds me of this from Doyers fans — a father & son combo, no less. Apple didn’t fall too far from the crazy tree. youtube.com/watch?v=GK4zMEnRTxM
I’m not sure what’s worse, the fact you actually thought this idiotic babbling was funny, or that’s there’s 6 morons who “liked” it
I think Wark is serious and I “liked” it
so he doesn’t beat me into compliance.
My only hope is Reds fans aren’t expecting Mike Trout to show up in Colorado tomorrow.
Of course not; more like Bryce Harper…
More like a slightly taller version of Altuve!
We’re expecting an India type, but with a better glove. When EDLC comes we’re going to lose our minds. I almost feel bad for EDLC, he’s got a lot of hype to live up to, hopefully for him, the Reds, and the fans he can.
Reds could be a force in a couple years. Hope it works out for one of the original franchises.
The sad thing is, they could be in the race in the Central the way they are playing THIS year had only the kid GM added a couple of veteran starters and bullpen help that was there for the taking in the offseason at reasonable salaries. With an 82 million payroll, they had the flexibility, even in a small market.
This assumes “the kid GM” had approval from ownership to spend any more money.
Performances to date contradict your take, This One. The bullpen has been surprisingly good. Adding relievers in the off-season would’ve blocked pictures from stepping up and progressing. Bullpen efficiency is notoriously fickle. One Wandy Peralta
Performances to date contradict your take, This One. The bullpen has been surprisingly good. Adding relievers in the off-season would’ve blocked pictures from stepping up and progressing. Bullpen efficiency is notoriously fickle. One Wandy Peralta is closing games for the Yankees. Would you have built a Bullpen around him a few years back?
As I’ve mentioned before, the bullpen is the last place you make meaningful additions when you’re building a team.
And we didn’t need to add two veteran starters in the offseason. Abbott will be up soon enough, and I don’t mind giving Weaver an opportunity to step up.
Let the sorting continue this year and make a big push next year after the positions of strength and need are more clear.
Problem is next season you will have three young starters with their confidence shot due to bullpen blowing leads, which will take a long time to recover, if ever. Any bullpen with this kind of load will break down. We saw it last year. That doesn’t even mention the rest of the team’s position players. It affects everyone.
You build a winning culture from the beginning. Some organizations that develop good talent know that.
Wtf is your dumb ass even talking about? Tell us you haven’t actually watched the reds this year without actually telling us. You’re clearly one of those clowns who just hopes they’re bad so you can claim “I told you so” go away.
For the last month and a half the reds bullpen has been one the best in baseball. Stop talking.
Now I want you to tell me how 10 months from now you know “3 starters confidence will be shot and will take a long time to recover”
The more I come here, the more I realize how little most of you people actually know or even understand the fkn game. Stop talking out your ass, it’s pathetic and embarrassing
So you saw the rest of the season already, smart guy? You just get bqck in a Delorean? I’m guessing not. More like you just want to spout off from mom’s basement.
Short sample size and the bullpen is getting burned out already. By July it will be a dumpster fire. Experience tells me this. You just saw it last season. You have a short memory. Lay off the weed.
I probably both played and watched more baseball than you’ve been alive.
Get back to me the end of the season.
I’ve been following this team since the 70s. No one would be happier than me if they have a great season. But I recognize when ownership gives a middle finger to their fans instead of helping a great group of kids compete. Do you or are you their apologist like others here?
Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.
Obviously some people do not have the intelligence to recognize that saying or realize the importance of it.
Compare lives? That’s a laugh. You should be so lucky to have the one I’ve had.
Why don’t you go back to Twitter and troll there? Or did they kick you off again?
Being crass and rude is not acceptable in civilized society, so don’t act surprised someone doesn’t suffer your attempted bullying here. But then keyboard warriors wouldn’t have the guts to act that way anywhere but online.
Yikes, you make a lot of dumb ass assumptions, Lmao twitter? I’ve literally never even been on twitter re re.
Again, stop projecting your own trash life ikto others. And seeing as I know who you are, no one wants the life you lived my guy. You’re a worthless waste of oxygen.
I’ll gladly come say everything I’ve said here to your face, and guess what? You won’t nor couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Let me know when you get wanna man up for once in your life pu$$y boy
And congrats on being able to use a common phrase.
Literally has zero relevance to sports. But seeing as you’ve literally never played a sport at a high level. It’s easy to see why you’re an ignorant moron, who just spouts off just to hear himself talk. Get off the internet and try seeing what the real word is like.
Mclain has been a bit better at swiping bags than stated- He is 10 for 15, not 5 for 10.
You’re right, the typo has been fixed!
Good luck young man. Remember that if you hit, they will find a place to play you.
Hopefully, he will get a shot at SS early on. De La Cruz is 6′ 5″ and will be likely grow out of the SS position (both up and out). Marte will likely move to the OF as there is a need there and he is the lessor defensive prospect of them all.. The Reds could move India to 3b and put McClain at 2b. There are a lot of options for the future depending on how Arroyo develops along with Balcazar, Collier and Acosta .at the lower minor league levels. The Reds would do well to shift some of them to the OF. as the talent pool is much less out there. Of course some of them could be traded for prospects at a position of need.
De La Cruz reminds me a lot of Eric Davis so I always thought he would end up in CF. At least one more guy will have to move to the OF too if they all are as advertised. I say that because all are suspects until they prove sonething in MLB over a period of years. The league will figure you out (right Mr. Aquino?) and how you react and adjust to that defines your career.
Arroyo supposedly has the best defensive metrics at SS of the candidates but his bat is unproven even at the minor league level at this point.. Marte is the least likely to stick at SS, so that kind of leaves McClain and De La Cruz.. Kind of funny that we draft and trade for all of these SS candidates and most aren’t candidates for SS going forward..
Elly and CES next.
CES appears to be the Reds 1B going forward. He could also DH some along with Stephenson. 3B is an option but there is a log jam there. Steer, Marte in the future and possibly De La Cruz. or McClain. McClain and De La Cruz could move to the OF. India could move back to 3B as well. A lot of options.
Yippee-ki-yay
He almost hit for the cycle in Omaha the other weekend. All he needed was a triple, and he had it…. until he fell down between second and third. I never heard of him before that game, but he looks great.
They should have awarded him the cycle because of his effort.
A trycycle, if you will.
As a Reds fan and the torment we have endured I have to say, seeing the first come is at least a glimmer of hope. Potential has to become production though.