ESPN surveyed three dozen general managers, scouts, analysts and evaluators to come up with 10 players that they are "buzzing about" in camp. The first player on the list? Reds second baseman Matt McLain.

According to one evaluator, McLain and Elly De La Cruz will be the best middle infield combo in baseball by the end of the season.

After missing the entire 2024 season, Matt McLain is back with a clean bill of health for the Reds as the starting second baseman with 20-20 upside and value at his current ADP in fantasy drafts.

They're always going to be brothers, and they're also roommates. However, Matt McLain and his brother, Sean McLain, were opponents on the field Monday afternoon. Matt, the Reds’ second baseman, was in the lineup against the Dodgers,

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain, a Southern California native, continued his spring assault on the I-5 corridor with a 2-for-3 day against the Padres that included a sixth-inning leadoff double that led to the tying run when Elly De La Cruz followed with another double.

After missing the entire 2024 campaign, Matt McLain is happy to be healthy heading into spring training and is excited to just be on the field again with his teammates. "I'm just excited," he told Fox19 Now's Joe Danneman.

Roki Sasaki has pitched three scoreless innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers in his spring training debut against the Cincinnati Reds

McLain made his third Cactus League appearance, all coming as the second baseman. He's led off in two of those games, including Wednesday, and could be the leadoff batter against left-handers this season. The lefty-hitting TJ Friedl is expected to lead off against righties.