The Cincinnati Reds are coming off their first playoff season since 2020, and they'll be postseason regulars if their young players play like Matt McLain is playing this spring.

The 26-year-old launched his seventh homer of spring training in Friday's 8-6 win against the Chicago Cubs, a three-run shot to left in the top of the third inning. He's now the first player in franchise history to hit seven home runs in spring training, although the team's spring training data only goes back to 2006, via FOX19's Charlie Goldsmith.

Cincinnati drafted McLain No. 17 overall in 2021. The California native started in Rookie League and rose to Triple-A by 2023, when he slashed .340/.467/.688 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs over 40 games. He got his first big-league call-up in May of that year, and he slashed .290/.357/.507 with 16 homers and 50 RBIs over 89 MLB contests.

However, McLain took a step back last season after missing 2024 with a shoulder injury, slashing .220/.300/.343 with 15 homers and 50 RBIs across 147 games. The 5-foot-8, 180-pounder needed a bounce-back spring training to reassert himself as an everyday starter, and that's what happened.

Cincinnati is relying on young players on the right side of its infield this season with McLain at second and top prospect Sal Stewart at first. The latter player only has 18 big-league games under his belt, but entered Friday with a .359 batting average and 1.171 OPS with three homers, seven RBIs, 10 runs scored, and four stolen bases over 16 spring training games.

If McLain and Stewart continue their momentum into the regular season, the Reds could be a force in the NL Central. Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz and designated hitter/third baseman Eugenio Suarez are reliable veterans offensively, but they need their less-established teammates to step up.

If McLain and/or Stewart become anywhere near as good as De La Cruz, it'll also show that the Reds are one of MLB's best player development organizations. De La Cruz has earned All-Star honors in each of the last two seasons and led baseball with 67 stolen bases in 2024. The 24-year-old signed with Cincinnati as an international free agent in 2018, and he got his first big-league call-up in June 2023.

Up next for the Reds are spring training games against the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, and two straight against the Milwaukee Brewers before Opening Day against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday.