Matt McLain Set for MLB Debut

May 15, 2023 - West Coast League (WCL) News Release

The first winner of the West Coast League's Top Prospect Award has arrived in the big leagues. Matt McLain, tabbed in 2018 as the inaugural Top Prospect after his month-long stint with the Bellingham Bells, is set to make his Major League debut Monday night with the Cincinnati Reds, playing shortstop and batting second against the host Colorado Rockies.

Before joining the Bells in July 2018, McLain was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 25th overall pick in MLB's amateur draft. He opted against signing with Arizona, instead heading to UCLA that fall, where he starred for three seasons. In 2021, he became a first-round pick for the second time when the Reds selected him No. 17th overall.

In his stint with Bellingham, the versatile McLain mostly played second base. At UCLA, he played center field as a freshman before ultimately moving to shortstop, and he's now projected as Cincinnati's every-day shortstop for the foreseeable future.

In 2018, McLain played in just 23 West Coast League games, but made a big impression on everyone who saw him.

"Matt's tools were obviously impressive," said Bob Miller, Bellingham's head coach in '18, "but his focus and intensity on the field were big separators. He certainly had some big hits and made some fantastic plays during his time in Bellingham, but his influence on the team and in the clubhouse were just as impactful!"

"That was my first season with the West Coast League," says Commissioner Rob Neyer, "and I'm pleased to recall seeing Matt's second game in Bellingham. He played second base and hit the ball hard just once or twice, but still somehow stood out from everyone else on the field. We all look forward to seeing what Matt does next."

McLain's promotion to the majors comes after a quick rise through Cincinnati's farm system. This spring, he hit .348 with 12 home runs in 38 games, leading all of Triple-A in OPS.

When he makes his MLB debut with Cincinnati, McLain will become the 126th former WCL player, and the third this season, to reach the big leagues.

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