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The 2021 MLB Draft got off to a flying start with false drafts blasted all over the place. Things got a little wobbly with some interesting names like Kumar Rocker sliding off the board. Most of the mock draft drafts had the Reds picking all over the place, but most of the players who were assigned to the Reds were taken earlier in the draft. However, it looks like the Reds have continued a trend with the guy they drafted. The Reds have shown a propensity to take on very athletic dudes who have had good offensive production in the first round in recent years, such as Nick Senzel and Jonathan India. However, the difference with this choice is the legitimate possibility that it remains on shortstop.
Matt Mclain, SS, R / R, 5’11, 170lbs, JR, UCLA – 21 years old
If you’ve ever heard Mclain’s name, it’s because he was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks 25th overall in the 2018 draft. Instead of taking millions of dollars to sign, he chose to ” honor his commitment to UCLA. The bet paid off as Mclain picked up a few more dollars by sliding higher in the draft.
Mclain is an interesting prospect because of his high athletic ability. While he floundered a bit in his freshman year, it could have been due to playing all over the infield, but more importantly taking on the central field role due to the blocking of its defensive position. That year, he barely crossed the Mendoza line while removing nearly 30% of his home plate appearances. He did much better in the 2019 Cape Cod Summer League with a .274 / .394 / .425 slash line. It was in 2020 and 2021 that Mclain really started to comb.
2020: .397 / .422 / .621 in 64 plate appearances
2021: .333 / .434 / .579 in 226 plate appearances
Another important note is that Mclain missed three weeks of games in 2021 with a thumb injury, so we can’t be 100% on the power that undermined. But, let’s move on to Scouting ranks.
Notes (via MLB.com)
Stroke: 60
Power: 50
Stroke: 60
Arm: 60
Field: 50
Total: 55
The big questions about Mclain will be his ability to stay shortstop and his ability to strike for power. From most of the reports I’ve read, most people balk at its potency potential. However, MLB.com’s ratings disagree and they disagreed during its summary of the project live on MLB.tv. There were a lot of compositions in Nick Madrigal due to their body types, but the only observation that is constantly made is that Mclain is thicker and stronger. Madrigal is a better pure hitter but Mclain is a better pure athlete. It will be interesting to see how this comparison plays out in the future. As far as the shortstop criticism goes, the guy can throw and run and that’s usually the combination you’re looking for. While some scouting reports question his ability, I haven’t yet read one that seems to view the idea of pulling him off the shortstop as realistic. In my opinion, this reads like a constant criticism of the shortstop outlook, except that Mclain is not the size of a physical monster that will have to move. For me, it’s just noise. Mclain probably won’t win Golden Gloves, but there’s no reason to think he can’t be solid in this role.
It’s just my stupid, uninformed opinion, but it screams of a definite choice of the best player available, but also a choice where the Reds continue to seek that ever-elusive short daily stoppage. He’s also the one who won’t break the bank by letting the Reds continue to pick up talent later since they have three picks in the first round. I like the choice, but I’m also stupid. The only thing I know is you don’t ignore bat talent and Mclain has it.
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