Josh McLain
| AB | 306 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .255 |
| OBP | .295 |
| SLG | .333 |
| HR | 1 |
- Full name Joshua Trey McLain
- Born 09/23/1996 in Hiddenite, NC
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School North Carolina State
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Drafted in the 9th round (284th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 (signed for $7,500).
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McLain is a speedy, athletic center fielder with the tools to stick and a strong track record of hitting in the ACC. He rivals teammate Brock Deatherage with 70 to 80 grades from scouts on his speed and he puts it to good use, playing shallow in the N.C State outfield, which also helps compensate for a below-average throwing arm. A righthanded hitter with below-average power, McLain shows great barrel control and led the Wolfpack in hitting this spring at .337/.365/.447. While he often hits leadoff for the N.C. State, McLain lacks the discerning eye most pro teams look for in that role, walking just 10 times this spring. He's an aggressive hitter who looks for a fastball early and generally puts a solid swing on it. His defensive ability and elite speed give him a high floor as a fourth or fifth outfielder, but his lack of power and patience weaken his overall profile.
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Draft Prospects
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McLain is a speedy, athletic center fielder with the tools to stick and a strong track record of hitting in the ACC. He rivals teammate Brock Deatherage with 70 to 80 grades from scouts on his speed and he puts it to good use, playing shallow in the N.C State outfield, which also helps compensate for a below-average throwing arm. A righthanded hitter with below-average power, McLain shows great barrel control and led the Wolfpack in hitting this spring at .337/.365/.447. While he often hits leadoff for the N.C. State, McLain lacks the discerning eye most pro teams look for in that role, walking just 10 times this spring. He's an aggressive hitter who looks for a fastball early and generally puts a solid swing on it. His defensive ability and elite speed give him a high floor as a fourth or fifth outfielder, but his lack of power and patience weaken his overall profile. -
N.C. State has had a string of speedy center fielders under coach Elliott Avent, and McLain has been as productive as any of them. He earns 70 or 80 speed grades depending on the scout, and likely will steal more bases in pro ball than he has for the Wolfpack (23 SB in 28 attempts the last two season). For one, the Wolfpack don't run much; for another, his early season production led the Pack to move him to the No. 3 spot in the lineup despite his below-average power. He legs out doubles on line drives to the gaps but also can ambush a fastball from time to time. He needs to draw more walks to fit a leadoff profile. McLain has good range and solid center-field instincts with a below-average arm.
