Matt McLain

Active

Cincinnati Reds · 2B/SS

Age 275' 8" · 180 lbsBats Right

#376 Current#178 Preseason

FBaseball Overview

The young second baseman continues to flash intriguing athleticism with his ability to generate runs and steal bases, evidenced by 31 runs and 11 stolen bases through 256 at-bats in 2026. However, his batting average has deteriorated significantly to .199, marking a concerning decline from his already modest .220 mark in 2025, which limits his overall offensive impact and consistency. While the power output dropped from 15 home runs to just 8, McLain's speed remains a potential asset in deeper leagues where stolen bases hold premium value. Fantasy managers should approach him cautiously as a bench player or streaming option until he demonstrates sustained improvement at the plate, as his current profile lacks the production needed to warrant regular lineup consideration in most formats.

News Updates

Matt McLain Returns to Action for Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain returned to action Tuesday, starting at second base and going 0-for-3 in a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. McLain's return marks an important development for the Reds' lineup after time away.
Sep 16, 2026
Matt McLain cleared for batting practice after calf injury
Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain is progressing in his recovery from a calf injury and will participate in batting practice on the field in Seattle on Monday. This represents progress toward a potential return to action and should be monitored for fantasy players looking to activate him soon.
Jul 20, 2026

MLB Hitting

Year	Team	G	PA	AB	AVG	HR	RBI	R	SB	K	OBP	SLG	OPS
2023	Cincinnati Reds	89	403	365	.290	16	50	65	14	115	.357	.507	.864
2025	Cincinnati Reds	147	577	510	.220	15	50	73	18	167	.300	.343	.643
2026	Cincinnati Reds	134	496	437	.185	15	40	59	20	139	.274	.334	.608
Career	Totals	370	1476	1312	.228	46	140	197	52	421	.307	.386	.693

Source: MLB Stats API · Multi-team seasons show combined totals — click to expand

Minor League Hitting

Year	Team	G	PA	AB	AVG	HR	RBI	R	SB	K	OBP	SLG	OPS
2021	2 teams▼	31	126	106	.283	3	19	17	10	24	.389	.462	.851
2022	Chattanooga Lookouts	103	452	371	.232	17	58	67	27	127	.363	.453	.816
2023	Louisville Bats	40	180	144	.340	12	40	30	10	37	.467	.688	1.155
2026	Louisville Bats	5	20	17	.294	0	1	3	0	5	.400	.412	.812
Career	Totals	179	778	638	.266	32	118	117	47	193	.392	.506	.898

Source: MLB Stats API · Multi-team seasons show combined totals — click to expand

Last Week / Last Month

Current season · MLB only

7 games

G	PA	AB	AVG	HR	RBI	R	SB	K	OBP	SLG	OPS
7	24	23	.217	0	1	3	2	8	.250	.304	.554

30 games

G	PA	AB	AVG	HR	RBI	R	SB	K	OBP	SLG	OPS
30	111	102	.137	3	7	13	5	35	.191	.255	.446

Game Log2026 MLB

Loading game log…

Advanced Stats2026 season · via Baseball Savant

Click for year to year changes

EV Avg87.8 mph

Max EV110.5 mph

Launch Angle20.7°

Barrel %8.9%

K %28.0%

Hard Hit %36.0%

Sprint Speed28.7 ft/s

Bat Speed71.5 mph

Whiff %28.4%

Chase %26.8%

xBA0.212

xSLG0.361

xwOBA0.293

GB%35.6%

FB%35.3%

What These Stats Mean

EV Avg — Average exit velocity — how hard this batter hits the ball. Elite hitters (90+ mph) make consistently hard contact, driving better batting averages and more power.

Max EV — Peak exit velocity on the batter's hardest-hit ball this season. Signals raw power potential even without a high HR total yet.

Launch Angle — Average vertical angle of the ball off the bat. The sweet spot for extra-base hits is roughly 10–30°; extreme ground ball or pop-up hitters sit outside this range.

Barrel % — Percentage of batted balls hit with the optimal exit velocity + launch angle combo. Barrels are the single best predictor of home runs and slugging percentage.

K % — Strikeout rate per plate appearance. High K% suppresses batting average and limits run-scoring opportunities — lower is better for fantasy.

Hard Hit % — Percentage of batted balls hit 95 mph or harder. A broader power indicator than barrels; high hard-hit% players rack up extra-base hits and RBI.

Sprint Speed — Peak sprint speed in feet per second. The best predictor of stolen base upside and ability to leg out infield hits.

Bat Speed — Average swing speed at the point of contact. Faster bat speed lets hitters wait longer on pitches and generates more raw power potential.

Whiff % — Percentage of swings that miss. High whiff rates signal strikeout vulnerability, dragging down batting average and overall production.

Chase % — How often the batter swings at pitches outside the strike zone. Low chase rates mean elite plate discipline — more walks, fewer strikeouts, more consistent at-bats.

xBA — Expected batting average based on contact quality, stripping out luck and defensive positioning. Better predictor of future performance than actual batting average.

xSLG — Expected slugging based on batted ball data. A high xSLG relative to actual SLG suggests power suppressed by bad luck that's likely to bounce back.

xwOBA — Expected weighted on-base average — the most comprehensive single expected metric. Combines contact quality, walks, and strikeouts to project overall offensive production.

GB% — Ground ball rate. High GB% hitters trade home run power for speed-dependent value — good for stolen base upside, but a drag on HR and SLG categories.

FB% — Fly ball rate. Elite power hitters combine high FB% with high exit velocity. High fly ball rate + soft contact = home run or nothing type.

Articles featuring Matt McLain

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July 30, 2026
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Year

Team

AVG

RBI

OBP

SLG

OPS

2023

Cincinnati Reds

403

365

.290

115

.357

.507

.864

2025

Cincinnati Reds

147

577

510

.220

167

.300

.343

.643

2026

Cincinnati Reds

134

496

437

.185

139

.274

.334

.608

Career

Totals

370

1476

1312

.228

140

197

421

.307

.386

.693

Year

Team

AVG

RBI

OBP

SLG

OPS

2021

2 teams▼

126

106

.283

.389

.462

.851

2022

Chattanooga Lookouts

103

452

371

.232

127

.363

.453

.816

2023

Louisville Bats

180

144

.340

.467

.688

1.155

2026

Louisville Bats

.294

.400

.412

.812

Career

Totals

179

778

638

.266

118

117

193

.392

.506

.898

AVG

RBI

OBP

SLG

OPS

.217

.250

.304

.554

AVG

RBI

OBP

SLG

OPS

111

102

.137

.191

.255

.446