How will Reds infielder Matt McLain finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting?

Matt McLain first made his debut for the Cincinnati Reds back on May 15th and got off to a hot start. Unfortunately, McLain's rookie campaign came to an end earlier than expected due to an oblique injury.

The Reds hoped to have McLain join the team for the final week of the season, but the infielder suffered a setback in his rehab assignment and missed the remainder of his rookie campaign.

Arizona Diamondbacks' outfielder Corbin Carroll is likely to take the title of National League Rookie of the Year, so where will McLain finish in the voting process?

How will Reds infielder Matt McLain finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting?

Despite missing some of the season, Matt McLain could very well find himself finishing in third place in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. McLain had an outstanding rookie season. In his 365 at-bats, McLain finished the 2023 season hitting .290/.357/.507 with 16 home runs, 50 RBI, and 14 stolen bases.

However, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll is expected to take home the of NL Rookie of the Year trophy this season. Carroll hit .285/.362/.506. Carroll's 25 home runs and 54 stolen bases put him over the top as a shoo-in to win the award.

A mildly surprising name to watch is New York Mets rookie Kodai Senga, who may finish as high as second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. In 29 games this season, Senga posted a record of 12-7 with 202 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.98.

In terms of fWAR among all rookie position players, McLain (3.2) ranks behind Carroll (6.0),Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder James Outman (4.4), and first-year Colorado Rockies outfielder Nolan Jones (3.7) according to FanGraphs. Senga was worth 3.4 fWAR in his own right.

Alongside Matt McLain, the Reds had quite several other rookies stand outs this season, such as Spencer Steer, Andrew Abbott, Brandon Williamson, and Elly De La Cruz. Despite where any of them finish in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, the Cincinnati Reds have a very fun and exciting young team.