When it comes to the Cincinnati Reds and their youth movement, it isn't all about Elly De La Cruz.
Granted, he's a big part of it, and he made history on Tuesday in his major league debut, which is very impressive.
But don't forget about Matt McLain. The rookie infielder out of UCLA has also made team history during his first stretch in the big leagues, which the team pointed out on Wednesday afternoon.
Matt McLain's first 20 MLB games:
.341/.396/.500
140 wRC+
136 OPS+
9 XBH
30 H (Most by a Red in first 20 MLB career games)
The Reds have had several Hall of Famers come through the system, so McLain having the most hits through his first 20 games is really something.
He was drafted out of UCLA in 2021 and is now hitting .341 with two home runs and 10 RBI. He's also stolen a base.
Because he hasn't played enough to lose his prospect eligibility yet, he's still the Reds No. 5 prospect overall. De La Cruz is No. 1.
Here's more on McLain, from his MLB.com prospect profile:
After striking out in just 15 percent of his plate appearances at UCLA in 2021, that rate skyrocketed to just over 28 percent in 2022 with the Reds. 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. The right-handed hitter does have a feel for the strike zone -- he had a 15.5 percent walk rate in Double-A -- and there’s confidence he’ll learn to make better swing decisions and get back to his high-contact rate overall approach at the plate.
McLain’s speed has played well as a pro and that should continue to be an asset. He also showed he can handle shortstop with a solid arm, good range and excellent instincts. He also played a very good second base, which might be the best fit long-term, and that versatility could help him given the organizational depth at shortstop if he can get back on track offensively.
The Reds beat the Dodgers on Tuesday and will play Los Angeles again on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. ET.
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