McLain Selected in First Round of MLB Draft
Published on July 11, 2021 under West Coast League (WCL) News Release
West Coast League alumni Matt McLain of UCLA was selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, as the Cincinnati Reds picked McLain 17th overall. It is the fifth consecutive season that a former WCL player has been taken in the first round of the MLB Draft.
McLain, a UCLA infielder, earned the WCL's Top Prospect Award in 2018 as a member of the Bellingham Bells. Also that summer, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected McLain with the 25th overall pick in the draft, but instead of signing a professional contract he enrolled at UCLA and continued his baseball career there. The Baseball America Preseason All-American and Pac-12 Player of the Year hit .333 with nine home runs and 36 runs batted this spring for the Bruins.
The MLB Draft will continue on Monday featuring rounds 2-10 beginning at 10 AM PST and will conclude on Tuesday featuring rounds 11-20 starting at 9 AM PST. Continue to check westcoastleague.com to find the updated list of former WCL players selected in this year's draft.
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