Reds 2023 breakout rookie expected to pace club in 2024, per projections

DROPS TOMORROW AFTERNOON. WE’LL HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE THEN. NOW FREE AGENCY TRACKER QUIETING DOWN THIS THURSDAY IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, THE MAIN MOVE TODAY, THE METS LANDING CENTER FIELDER HARRISON BADER, WHO LEAVES CINCY AFTER HE ELECTED FREE AGENCY THIS YEAR AFTER A BIG SPLASH TO START THIS WEEK, THE REDS WILL LIKELY STAY QUIET FOR THE REMAINDER REMAINDER OF THIS OFF SEASON, WITH THE ONE YEAR DEAL FOR RIGHTY FRANKIE MONTAS. THE REDS SPENT SOME SERIOUS CASH THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT. THE REDLEGS, THEY ARE DEEP NOW WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR NEW PITCHING STAFF. QUICK RECAP OF THESE OFF SEASON MOVES. THERE’S AN UPGRADE TO THE BULLPEN WITH EMILIO PAGAN, NICK MARTINEZ AS SOME INSURANCE POLICY FOR THE ROTATION, AND MONTAS, IF HEALTHY. COULD BE A STEAL AS A RELIABLE STARTER. PLUS, THERE WAS THAT INTERESTING AD OF THE INFIELDER SLASH MIDDLE AT BAT OF JEIMER CANDELARIO. WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, T

The Cincinnati Reds have their sights set on making a return to the postseason in 2024 and have the young core that could not only lead them there this year, but for years to come.While Elly De La Cruz grabs most of the headlines with his near-nightly highlight reel plays - from hitting for the cycle to stealing three bases in two pitches - it's another member of the Reds' youth movement that could lead them in value in 2024.According to FanGraphs' 2024 projections, it's Matt McLain who is in line to lead Cincinnati in WAR - Wins Above Replacement - for the upcoming year.In their ZiPS - Zymbroski Projection System - projections for the upcoming season, FanGraphs has McLain leading the way in fWAR with a projected total of 3.3.If that prediction comes close to true, it would not come as a surprise: Last year in just 89 games in the majors, McLain posted a 3.2 fWAR, good enough for second on the team behind only TJ Friedl, who posted a career-best 4.4 fWAR in 2023.McLain's rise has been a fast one: A 2021 first round draft pick out of UCLA, he debuted on MLB.com's prospect rankings in 2022, as the number four overall prospect in the system and opened the 2023 season as the No. 7 prospect according to both FanGraphs and The Athletic's Keith Law.Despite playing in less than 90 games, McLain led the Redlegs in batting average (.290) and OPS (.864), while smacking 16 home runs and driving in 50 runs en route to a fifth-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting. He was one of three Reds to receive votes.Newcomer Jeimer Candelario - who posted a 3.3 fWAR across 140 games with two clubs last year - is projected to finish with the second highest mark (2.7).Three other Reds - De La Cruz (2.3), Spencer Steer (2.2) and Friedl (2.2) - are also projected to finish above league average (2.0).Those projections would be steps up for De La Cruz and Steer, who finished last year with a 1.7 and 2.1 fWAR, respectively, in their rookie years.FanGraphs further discusses this year's Reds team and the many question marks surrounding them (mainly; where are all of the kids going to play?) as they seek their first postseason berth since 2020.For a larger gambit of Reds projections ahead of the 2024 season, click here.

The Cincinnati Reds have their sights set on making a return to the postseason in 2024 and have the young core that could not only lead them there this year, but for years to come.

While Elly De La Cruz grabs most of the headlines with his near-nightly highlight reel plays - from hitting for the cycle to stealing three bases in two pitches - it's another member of the Reds' youth movement that could lead them in value in 2024.

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According to FanGraphs' 2024 projections, it's Matt McLain who is in line to lead Cincinnati in WAR - Wins Above Replacement - for the upcoming year.

If that prediction comes close to true, it would not come as a surprise: Last year in just 89 games in the majors, McLain posted a 3.2 fWAR, good enough for second on the team behind only TJ Friedl, who posted a career-best 4.4 fWAR in 2023.

McLain's rise has been a fast one: A 2021 first round draft pick out of UCLA, he debuted on MLB.com's prospect rankings in 2022, as the number four overall prospect in the system and opened the 2023 season as the No. 7 prospect according to both FanGraphs and The Athletic's Keith Law.

Despite playing in less than 90 games, McLain led the Redlegs in batting average (.290) and OPS (.864), while smacking 16 home runs and driving in 50 runs en route to a fifth-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting.

He was one of three Reds to receive votes.

Newcomer Jeimer Candelario - who posted a 3.3 fWAR across 140 games with two clubs last year - is projected to finish with the second highest mark (2.7).

Three other Reds - De La Cruz (2.3), Spencer Steer (2.2) and Friedl (2.2) - are also projected to finish above league average (2.0).

Those projections would be steps up for De La Cruz and Steer, who finished last year with a 1.7 and 2.1 fWAR, respectively, in their rookie years.

FanGraphs further discusses this year's Reds team and the many question marks surrounding them (mainly; where are all of the kids going to play?) as they seek their first postseason berth since 2020.

For a larger gambit of Reds projections ahead of the 2024 season, .