UCLA Alum Channels Collegiate Experience to Break Out of Slump

Former UCLA Bruin and current Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain is leaning on his time in Westwood to break out of a major league slump.

May 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (9) throws to first base against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Cincinnati Reds second baseman and former UCLA standout Matt McLain is going through one of the worst slumps of his career.

Batting .175 in 189 at bats this season, the righty is experiencing some of the worst trips to the plate he's seen since his freshman season at UCLA.

"My freshman year at UCLA was tough," McLain told Cincinnati Enquire reporter Gordon Wittenmyer. "I was so young. Right out of high school. That was different. That was worse than now. So I've used that in this case."

McLain's slump made it's way to the 50-game mark and he has since been bench for a few games ahead of a series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

McLain made MLB Network's Top 100 Major League Baseball Players list last year along with his infield teammate Elly De La Cruz.

The second-year infielder is channeling his struggles as a young Bruin to hopefully break out of this slump soon.

"Mostly that means he keeps playing, fighting, playing well in the field as one of the Reds’ best defenders, running smart on the bases when he gets there and trying to contribute in ways as small and basic as seeing enough pitches in an at-bat that it might help the next guy," Wittenmyer wrote.

"It may not mean much to Reds fans tired of watching the .175 hitting and 31% strikeout rate," he added. "But the approach (and fielding ability) has helped keep him in the lineup most days, even as he was dropped from second in the order to ninth, even during a 1-for-18 stretch to finish the recent road trip."

McLain spent three seasons with UCLA and made his mark. He was initially drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of high school, but chose to stay in college.

He struggled as a freshman (batting .203 with a .355 slugging percentage), but turned into one of the best players in the nation.

He was a Second Team All-American his sophomore season and made the 2021 First Team Preseason All-American, 2021 Pac-12 All-Conference Team and 2021 Lubbock Regional All-Tournament Team.

He was drafted 17th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft by Cincinnati.

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