Graduated from Beckman High School in Irvine, Calif., where he was a two-time First Team All-American...Also played football for two seasons at BHS...Was a three-year starter at UCLA as the team's primary center fielder (2019) and shortstop (2020-21)...Was All-American in 2020 and All-Pac-12 in 2021...Played in the 2017 Perfect Game National Showcase and 2016 PG Underclass All-American Games...His father, Mike, played football at UCLA...His mother, Wendi, was an All-American softball and volleyball player.
2025
Made his Postseason debut in 2025, appearing in both games of the National League Wild Card Series at LAD...in Game 1, became the seventh Red to ever record an extra-base hit in his first career Postseason plate appearances (2B off Blake Snell), the first since Benito Santiago in Game 1 of the 1995 NLDS...Was caught stealing for the first time in 2025 on 7/22 at WASH before that, had been successful in each of his previous 19 stolen-base tries (since 8/16/23 at CLE), the longest streak by a Red since Barry Larkin (19 SB, 1993-94)...Finished the year with a 90 percent success rate on stolen-base attempts, the seventh-best mark by a Red with 20+ SB attempts in a season since 1951. Became the third Red since 1961 with at least 100+ hits in each of his first two career seasons (also: Dan Driessen, 1973-74 Pete Rose, 1963-64)...Joined Jay Bruce (2008-09), Adam Dunn (2001-02) and Frank Robinson (1956-57) as the only Reds since 1900 with 15+ HR in each of their first two career seasons...Appeared on his first Opening Day roster...From 3/29 to 3/31 homered in three straight games for the first time in his career...was the fourth Red since 1900 to homer in three of the teams first four games of a season (also: Nick Castellanos, 2021 Joe Randa, 2005 Deron Johnson, 1967)...On 4/8 was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to 4/5 (slight left hamstring strain)...activated on 4/15...On 4/17 vs. SEA appeared in his 100th career game...his 47 extra-base hits (19 HR, 4 3B, 24 2B) through his first 100 MLB games were tied with Reds Hall of Famers Chris Sabo (1988) and Vada Pinson (1958-59) for second-most by a Red in that span since 1900, fewer than only Adam Dunn (48, 2001-02)...In the seventh inning on 4/28 vs. STL snapped a career-long 0-for-21 hitless streak (since 4/22 at Mia) with a single off Riley O'Brien...Hit safely in 10 straight games from 6/11-6/22 to tie his career high...Appeared in his 200th career game on 8/16 vs. MIL...in the seventh inning on 8/27 at LAD singled off Justin Wrobleski for his 200th career hit.
2024
Missed the entire season recovering from March 26 surgery on his left shoulder to address cartilage damage and repair labrum...Following the regular season, played for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, where he slashed .240/.356/.520 in 13 games (12-for-50, two 2B, four HR, 12 RBI, nine BB).
2023
Was named to Baseball America's MLB All-Rookie team, along with LHP Andrew Abbott and IF/OF Spencer Steer...no other team had more than two players recognized...Was the shortstop on Baseball Digest's MLB Rookie All-Star Team...Was an MiLB Organization All-Star, along with Reds teammates LHP Andrew Abbott, IF Elly De La Cruz and IF Christian Encarnacion-Strand...Finished fifth in the BBWAA's National League Rookie of the Year voting, just ahead of teammates Spencer Steer (6th) and Elly De La Cruz (8th)…In the second week of his Major League career, was named National League Player of the Week for 5/22-5/28 (7g, 15-31, .484, 3 2b, 2hr, 7rbi, 3bb, 1hbp, 1sb, 9r, .543obp, .774slg, 1.317ops)…led all Major League batters in hits, tied for the lead in runs scored and ranked among the ML leaders in BA (2nd), OBP (2nd) and OPS (5th). His .290 batting average and .864 OPS are the highest by any Reds batter through his first 89 career games covering at least 403 plate appearances...With a 3.7 bWAR in just 89 appearances, ranked second on the team to TJ Friedl (3.8, 138g)…McLain's bWAR projects to 6.7 over a full season...Beginning 8/28 spent the rest of the season on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain...Made two rehab appearances with Louisville (1gs at SS, 1gs at 2B, 1-6, 1bb, 3k)…aggravated the injury during his second appearance, on 9/24, and spent the rest of the year rehabbing with the team...Only once all season went hitless in three consecutive appearances (8/5-8/8)…The Reds were 18-22 (.450) when he was promoted on 5/15...went 50-42 (.543) until he was injured...Prior to his injury started 88 of the Reds' 92 games after he was promoted on 5/15, including 52 starts at SS, 33 starts at 2B and three starts at DH (last, 6/18 at Hou)...beginning 8/3 made each of his last 21 starts at 2B...From 6/6-7/2 reached base safely in 23 consecutive appearances, the longest by a Reds batter this season (30-100, .300, 8 2b, 3 3b, 5hr, 19rbi, 3sb, 18r, .364obp, .590slg)…was the longest on-base streak by a Reds batter since Joey Votto's 25-game on-base streak from 7/2-7/31, 2021...Became the first Reds player since Dan Driessen in 1973 to produce a 10-game hitting streak within his first 15 career appearances...Is the only Reds batter since 1900 to produce as many as 30 hits in his first 20 Major League appearances and as many as 43 hits in his first 30 career appearances...His .328 BA, .519 SLG, and .899 OPS were the best by any Reds batter through his first 30 career games...Became the first Red since Dain Clay (1943) to produce four triples within his first 30 career appearances...His .316 BA, .538 SLG and .909 OPS were the best by any Reds batter through his first 40 career games...His 54 hits were second-most by a Reds batter in his first 40 career appearances (Les Scarsella, 57 hits, 1935-1936)…his 22 extra-base hits were second-most by any Reds batter in his first 40 career appearances (Adam Dunn, 24xbh, 2001)…In his first 50 Major League appearances produced a 10-game hitting streak (5/22-6/1), a team-high 23-game on-base streak (6/6-7/2) and 19 multi-hit games...His 10 HR were fifth-most by any Reds batter in his first 60 career appearances (Frank Robinson 16, Hank Sauer 13, Josh Hamilton 13, Joey Votto 12)…His .309 BA and .911 OPS were the best by any Reds batter through his first 70 career games...His 89 hits were second-most by a Reds batter in his first 70 career appearances (Frank Baumholtz, 94 hits, 1947)…his 37 extra-base hits were the third-most by any Reds batter in his first 70 career appearances (Chris Sabo, 41 xbh, 1988; Adam Dunn, 38xbh, 2001-2002)…On 5/23 & 5/24 vs StL produced his first two career home runs, off Adam Wainwright (2-run) and Steven Matz (solo)…In the ninth inning of the 9-8 win on 6/6 vs LAD, capped the Reds' three-run rally with his first career walk-off hit (RBI-single off Shelby Miller)…was his third hit of the game...On 6/25 vs Atl produced three doubles and a home run, the second Reds rookie since 1900 to record four extra-base hits in a game (Chris Sabo, 6/16/88 vs SF)…was one of three Reds batters this season to record at least 10 total bases in a game (Wil Myers, 11tb, 4/15 vs Phi & Elly De La Cruz, 10tb, 6/23 vs Atl)…Hit his first career grand slam on 7/21 vs Ari (off Justin Martinez)…At the All-Star Game break led National League rookies in hitting, tied for the lead in triples and ranked among the Major League leaders in hitting (2nd), triples (T1st), OPS (2nd, 2nd NL), slugging percentage (3rd, 3rd NL), on-base percentage (5th, 3rd NL), extra-base hits (T6th, 4th NL), doubles (T7th, 4th NL) and total bases (10th, 5th NL)…Was one of 16 players to make his Major League debut and one of 23 rookies to make at least one appearance for the Reds...After just 172 minor league appearances, on 5/15 at Col made his Major League debut at age 23 years, 282 days...in the 9-8 loss went 1-for-4 (1 2b, 1bb, 2r)…was the youngest player to start at shortstop for the Reds since Jose Barrero started the 6-3 win vs Pit on 10/3/21 at age 23 years, 181 days...In 38 appearances for Louisville hit .348 (12 2b, 1 3b, 12hr, 40rbi, 10sb, .474obp, .710slg, 1.184ops, 24gs at SS, 13gs at 2B)…when promoted on 5/15 led all minor league players in total bases and OPS and led the International League in RBI.
2022
Spent the season at Class AA Chattanooga, where he was Southern League Player of the Week the first week of the season... Ranked among Southern League leaders in OPS (7th, .816), walks (8th, 70), extra-base hits (9th, 43), on-base percentage (9th, .363) and slugging percentage (9th, .453)... Ranked among Reds minor league leaders in walks (2nd, 70), stolen bases (T4th, 27), extra-base hits (6th, 43), on-base percentage (6th, .363), runs (6th, 67), HR (7th, 17), RBI (7th, 58), slugging percentage (8th, .453), OPS (8th, .816) and total bases (9th, 168)... From 6/25-7/21 spent time on the Lookouts' 7-day injured list with left wrist tendinitis... On 4/17 vs Birmingham hit for the cycle... Following the season played for Glendale in the prestigious Arizona Fall League (23g, .190, 2 2b, 1 3b, 2hr, 11rbi, 6sb)... Participated in his first Major League Spring Training camp... Was one of 60 players invited to 2022 early Minor League camp...after the lockout ended on 3/11 was invited to Major League spring training camp, along with OF Ronnie Dawson, who was selected from the Astros in the minor league phase of the December 2021 Rule 5 Draft... Entered the season rated the organization's third-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, No. 90 in all of baseball, and fifth-best prospect by Baseball America... During the season reached No. 76 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list.
2021
Spent most of his first professional season at advanced Class A Dayton...Made his first two professional appearances for the Arizona Complex League Reds before he was promoted on 8/10...In his first professional game, on 8/6 vs the ACL Giants in Goodyear, went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple...In his debut at Dayton, on 8/11 at Lansing, went 4-for-5 with a double, home run, five RBI and two runs scored...Was one of 60 players invited to 2022 early minor league camp...after the lockout ended on 3/11/22 was invited to Major League spring training camp, along with OF Ronnie Dawson, who was selected from the Astros in the minor league phase of the December 2021 Rule 5 Draft.
