Cincinnati Reds Executives Believe a Young Infielder is Ready to Breakout After Struggling in 2025
The Cincinnati Reds are loaded with talent this season and it's been on full display this spring. They've seen breakout performances from players like Rece Hinds, Will Benson, Sal Stewart, and plenty of others.
Elly De La Cruz, of course, has looked good as well. But the Reds MVP of spring training, if that was such an award, would very clearly go to second baseman Matt McLain. McLain has slashed .512/.565/.1.024 with an OPS of 1.560. Through 14 games and 41 at-bats, McLain has recorded 21 hits, one double, one triple, six home runs, 15 runs scored, 13 RBI, two stolen bases, and five walks. He's truly been the most dominant player of the spring. “Matt has been outstanding in camp. He has taken good at-bats and hit for power. He has also played great defense,"Mar 12, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images This is the kind of production the Reds have dreamed of with McLain. Obviously a pace like this is unsustainable for in hitter in the history of the game, but it's a sign of good things for the Reds second baseman following a very massive down year in 2025. McLain looked good during his rookie campaign in 2023, but he suffered a shoulder injury required surgery and would cost him his entire 2024 season. After returning from this surgery, McLain OPS+ dropped from 127 in 2023 to 74 in 2025. His OPS dropped over 200 points in that span. But the infielder looks healthy and much stronger now than he did at any point last year. “He’s fully healthy and looks like himself again. Staying on the ball better, using the whole field and really driving the ball well," The young infielder may have needed an additional year to get back to full strength. Oftentimes with labrum surgeries, the player can return to the field, but the strength and power doesn't reach pre-surgery feeling until a year or so later. With McLain struggling so much last year, it would be easy to write him off this season. But the youngster is still incredibly talented. Though spring training is a small sample size, he's been incredible. If he can reach his full potential, it would go a long way toward making the Reds real contenders.Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher . Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others.Reds Young Star Turning Heads, Primed for Huge Bounce Back Year
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