Matt McLain's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain went 3-for-5 with three RBI, a run scored, and stole his first base of the Arizona Fall League on Thursday while manning second base for the Glendale Desert Dogs. The 25-year-old is getting back into the swing of things after missing all of the 2024 regular season due to injury. Through 50 AFL at-bats, McLain is hitting .240 with a pair of doubles and four home runs. When last healthy, the former first-round draft pick put up a .290-16-50-65-14 line in just 89 games in 2023 and could be an under-the-radar value in 2025 fantasy drafts, although it is unclear whether he or former Rookie of the Year Jonathan India will be playing second base for Cincinnati. If McLain were to gain OF eligibility, a position which he's played a little in the AFL, it could make him even more useful for fantasy.

Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain smacked a pair of two-run home runs in a 2-for-5 day at the plate for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League (AFL), his third and fourth homers of the fall season. The 25-year-old missed all of the 2024 regular season due to injuries and is in the AFL trying to knock off some of the rust, while even getting some playing time in the outfield, although Monday he was back at the keystone. Through 11 games in the AFL, McLain is hitting just .220, but six of his nine hits have gone for extra bases. The former first-round draft pick offers multi-category production when healthy and could be a nice value pick in 2025 fantasy drafts since he isn't top-of-mind after missing 2024. When last healthy, McLain put up a .290-16-50-65-14 line in just 89 games in 2023.

Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain was starting in center field on Tuesday for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. While the 25-year-old hit a home run in the contest, the fact that he was playing the outfield was perhaps the more intriguing development. He missed all of 2024 with injuries, but when he last played for the Reds in his rookie season of 2023, the former first-round draft pick played only second base or shortstop. As the AFL is where a lot of top talent goes to get some extra reps and potentially work on some specific skills, it seems the Reds are seeing if this gives them some flexibility in how McLain is deployed, as they already have plenty of infield talent including Elly De La Cruz, former NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India, and more. When last healthy, McLain put up a .290-16-50-65-14 line in just 89 games in 2023, so the added versatility could be another way to get his bat in the lineup in 2025.

Cincinnati Reds infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand), Matt McLain (shoulder) and Edwin Arroyo (shoulder) will play in the Arizona Fall League, which began play on Monday. Both McLain and Arroyo missed all of 2024 after suffering shoulder injuries. McLain also dealt with a stress reaction in his rib cage. He is slated to play shortstop, second base and center field in the AFL, and he could also play in the outfield. If fully healthy in 2025, McLain is expected to mostly see time at second in Cincinnati. Encarnacion-Strand was limited to 29 games before suffering a season-ending hand injury in June that required surgery. He will be available to play first and third base in the AFL and could also see action in the outfield. The 24-year-old will need to prove himself in spring training in order to find consistent playing time to open the 2025 campaign.

Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that infielder Matt McLain (rib, shoulder) is pain-free now and will resume baseball activities to see how he progresses. McLain has been out all season, first because of surgery on his left shoulder and most recently a stress reaction in his rib cage. The Reds and McLain are still holding out hope that he can return in the final couple of weeks of the 2024 season, which would be nice, but the point of him being fantasy relevant in 2024 has come and gone. It's been a frustrating year for the 25-year-old middle infielder and any fantasy managers that invested in him back in the spring after he had an impressive .290/.357/.507 slash line with 16 home runs, 50 RBI and 14 steals in 89 games in his rookie campaign in 2023. If McLain can get back to full health in the offseason, he should be a big part of Cincy's plans in 2025.