3 Cincinnati Reds prospects bound for a different position in the major leagues

3. Matt McLain, Reds SS prospect

The Cincinnati Reds may have landed the steal of the draft in 2021 when they took UCLA shortstop Matt McLain with their first-round pick last July. McLain is an elite prospect and is recognized by many outlets as a Top 100 talent. But will the former Bruin stay at shortstop?

McLain is likely to debut at Double-A in 2022. MLB.com's Mark Sheldon spoke with Reds vice president of player development Shawn Pender late last year, and it sounds as if Cincinnati will be looking to fast-track McLain to The Show.

"“We’re going to give him a chance to go to Double-A, if he looks like he’s ready coming out of Spring Training. If not, we’ll start him in High-A and see how long he needs to stay there before we move him. That’s the goal.”"

Shawn Pender

Is Matt McLain blocked at shortstop? A lot of that depends on how the Cincinnati Reds view Jose Barrero and Kyle Farmer next season. Will Farmer return to a utility role in 2022? Will Barrero be given the opportunity to be the Reds starting shortstop.

In my humble opinion, there's no way the Reds should allow Farmer to impede Barrero's progress. The 23-year-old is viewed by many to be the team's top infield talent, and the Reds owe it to Barrero to see what they've got in the Cuban infielder. That's not to say the job should just be handed to Barrero in spring training, but with all things being equal, Farmer should return to being the top player off the bench in 2022.

What then do the Reds do with Matt McLain? The 22-year-old is athletic enough to play center field. He's also certainly able to find a home at either second or third base. However, Jonathan India has the keystone on lockdown, and Eugenio Suárez and Mike Moustakas are both under contract through at least the 2023 season.