MLB Draft: Reds surprised UCLA shortstop McLain -- a ‘guy they really wanted’ -- was there at No. 17

“I love UCLA,” McLain said. “I’m a UCLA fan. I wanted to get the chance to play at Jackie Robinson Stadium and get a chance to meet guys over at UCLA who are going to be lifelong friends and teammates and get that college experience and mature as a baseball player and as a person.”

On Sunday, the first day of the Major League Baseball draft, the Reds drafted McLain, a shortstop who ranked 12th on a MLB.com list of the top-250 draft prospects. They then drafted Jay Allen, an outfielder from John Carroll High School in Fort Pierce, Fla., with the No. 30 pick and Florida State catcher Matheu Nelson with the No. 35 pick.

The Reds received the No. 30 pick, the first selection after the first round, as compensation for the Los Angeles Dodgers signing Trevor Bauer, while the No. 35 pick was one of six picks made in the first Competitive Balance round, which gives extra picks to teams with low payrolls.

No other team had three picks on the first day of the 20-round draft, which will continue with rounds 2-10 on Tuesday. The uncertainty at the top of the draft created challenges for the Reds, who didn’t have a good idea of who might be available at No. 17 until around pick 10.

“We’re really excited about all three of them,” said Reds Director of Amateur Scouting Brad Meador. “(McLain) is a guy that we really wanted. We had him high on the board. We didn’t think that we’d be able to get him. He’s a player who we think can play shortstop, and he’s a plus runner. He can handle the bat, hitting at the top of the lineup. A middle-of-the field player with really good tools, really good makeup. A lot to be excited about.”

A 5-foot-11, 180-pound junior from Tustin, Calif., McLain was a three-year starter at UCLA. He hit .333 with nine home runs and 36 RBIs last season. In choosing to go to college instead of entering professional baseball after high school, McLain said he was able to shape his baseball identity and improve his overall knowledge of the game.

“I’ve gotten stronger, for sure, in every aspect of the game,” McLain said. “I’ve been able to hit balls harder than I would have been able to in high school, get to balls on defense that I wouldn’t be able to and run faster down the line.”

UCLA played in the NCAA tournament in two of McLain’s three seasons. His sophomore season was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. The Bruins were 102-33 in his career.

Asked to describe himself as a player, McLain said, “I think, first and foremost, I’m a winner and I’m a competitor above everything else. I like to hit. I like to play defense. I like to run. I think I can do everything on the field— not in a cocky way. I just love baseball, and I love playing the game every single day and going out there and giving it my all. That’s what I do, and that’s what I’m going to do every single day from here on out.”

The Reds’ second pick, the 6-3, 190-pound Allen, will have to choose between signing with the Reds and playing for the Florida Gators. He’s projected to earn a signing bonus of $2.37 million if he turns pro.

ESPN draft expert Riley McDaniel ranked Allen 25th on a list of the top-200 prospects. Allen was a three-sport start in high school who threw 61 touchdown passes as his school’s starting quarterback and scored 30 points in back-to-back games in his senior year on the basketball court.

Meador talked to Allen after a workout in Florida last month for 30-45 minutes.

“That’s what our scouts spend a lot of time on, digging in on the makeup and getting to know the kids,” Meador said. “It’s the most important part, especially with a high school player. I just felt like after talking to him, he had all the right answers. We had a good discussion, and he convinced me that this was the right path for him.”

The Reds’ third pick, the 5-11, 209-pound Nelson, was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2021. He led the country with 23 home runs and ranked sixth with 66 RBIs. He’s scheduled to be honored at Great American Ball Park on July 20 as the winner of the Johnny Bench Award, which is awarded to the top catcher in college baseball every year.

“He’s a really good defensive catcher,” Meador said. “He improved offensively this year. He has really good power. Anyone you talk to will tell you how good his makeup is, how tough of a kid he is. All the intangibles that go with the position that you’re looking for he has.”