Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

The McLain family had some strong baseball genes, with oldest brother Matt a first-round pick who got Rookie of the Year votes with the Reds last year, middle kid Sean a fifth-round pick of the Dodgers in 2022 and now the youngest, Nick, hoping to embark on his own professional path this year. Injuries have held him back, starting with a back problem that forced him to miss all of his freshman year at UCLA. He transferred to Arizona State, only to miss half the year because of a broken right hamate, then broke his left hamate to force him to the sidelines again in 2024. He came back too soon and struggled, but was getting hot in May, just in time to boost his Draft stock.

While there aren’t tall genes in the McLain family -- all three brothers are under six foot -- there does seem to be a bit of a hit tool gene. When healthy, he’s a switch hitter who has the chance to provide a combination of average hit and power tools. He’s better from the left side of the plate, but he’s shown the ability to drive the ball from both sides, and the power started to show up more the further removed from the hamate injury he got, homering in five straight games at the beginning of May.

When McLain first got to ASU, he ran a little better and showed some acumen for playing center field. He’s gotten a little stockier and slowed down a bit, though the added strength has resulted in that uptick in pop. He probably fits best in a corner now, and his strong arm would profile well in right. A strong and healthy finish could help vault him into the top five rounds.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

McLain is the youngest of three baseball-playing brothers, following in the footsteps of Matt (a two-time first-rounder who starred as a Reds rookie in 2023) and Sean (a Dodgers fifth-rounder two years ago). Nick battled injuries in each of his three college seasons, redshirting at UCLA (Matt's alma mater) with a broken hamate in 2022 before transferring to Arizona State (Sean's alma mater) and breaking his right hamate in 2023 and then his left hamate this spring. He finished this season on a 20-game hitting streak before the White Sox signed him for an under-slot $800,000 in the third round.

A switch-hitter, McLain has solid raw power from both sides of the plate, and his career .658 slugging percentage with the Sun Devils ranks sixth in school history. He's not a big guy at 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, but he has a knack for pulling balls in the air from both sides of the plate. He also manages the strike zone well and hit for average and power with wood bats in the Cape Cod League.

McLain added strength and lost a bit of speed during his time in college, though he's still an average runner out of the box and quicker once he gets going. He's a competent defender in right field with solid arm strength. 

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	08/05/2024	OF Nick McLain assigned to ACL White Sox.
	07/23/2024	Chicago White Sox signed OF Nick McLain.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated OF Nick McLain.
	02/19/2024	OF Nick McLain assigned to Arizona State Sun Devils.
	06/08/2023	OF Nick McLain assigned to College Workout.
	03/11/2023	OF Nick McLain assigned to Arizona State Sun Devils.
	03/01/2022	OF Nick McLain and assigned to UCLA Bruins.
	06/16/2020	OF Nick McLain assigned to PG National 4 - Gray.
	06/16/2020	OF Nick McLain assigned to PG National 4 - Gray.