The Reds called up second baseman/shortstop Matt McLain, the club’s No. 5 contender and No. 95 overall per MLB pipeline, to his MLB debut Monday. To make room for McLain on the active roster, the team put outfielder TJ Friedl back on the 10-day injured list effective Friday after sustaining a left oblique strain. Joey Votto was moved to the 60 Day IL to free up a spot in the 40-man roster.
McLain, the club’s first-round draft pick in 2021, has been a star in the Louisville Bats Triple-A all season, hitting .348/.474/.710 with 12 homers in 138 at-bats. He leads all Triple-A in OPS (1,184) and leads the International League in RBIs (40) and total bases (98). He is expected to catch his first game action when the Reds open a series against the Rockies at Coors Field on Monday.
Along with his powerful bat, McLain possesses 60-degree speed and has stolen 37 bases in 45 attempts since the start of the 2022 season.
McLain hit 17 homers and grabbed 27 bases at last year’s Double-A Chattanooga, but his 28.1% strikeout rate was a bit of a thorn in his side. However, the 23-year-old has made significant progress in that regard this season as his K-ratio has dropped to 19.7%. Meanwhile, McLain’s walk rate has been a robust 15.8% since the beginning of last year.