SUMMER UPDATE: Matt McLain joined an elite group; plus a former Tiller drafted

Matt McLain after a PCL game with Beckman in 2018. (File photo OC Sports Zone)

When UCLA shortstop Matt McLain was drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft this week by the Cincinnati Reds, he became the second former Beckman High player selected in the first round.

The first was pitcher James Kaprielian, who was selected in the first round by the New York Yankees in 2015. Kaprielian is now with the Oakland A’s. Both players were coached by Beckman’s Kevin Lavalle.

“It’s the second first-rounder from Beckman High School, so that’s exciting,” said Lavalle. “I wish I could say it’s all the head coach.”

A lot can happen, of course, but it’s possible that two more Beckman products: McLain’s two younger brothers Sean (now at Arizona State) and Nick (who will be a freshman at UCLA), who are already likely on the radar of Major League scouts, could also be drafted when it’s their turn.

The McLain’s father, Mike, will help his other two sons through the draft process, like he did for Matt McLain.

“I told him in three or four years, he’s going to be able to throw his phone away and just watch baseball the rest of his life,” Lavalle said. “Sean is playing for Team USA right now, Nick is going to go to UCLA and Nick had basically told teams ‘I want to go to college.’ It’s hard enough to do this for one kid, but Mike for the past six or seven months has had to do all of this work for two of them and he gets to do it again next year with Sean and in two years he gets to do it again for Nick.”

MATT McLAIN SIGNING UPDATE

Matt’s father Mike, said he expects that his son, who now has an agent, could sign with the Cincinnati Reds sometime this week. We are following this story.

RODNEY BOONE DRAFTED BY INDIANS

Former Tustin High star pitcher Rodney Boone, a standout pitcher at UC Santa Barbara, was selected in the eighth round of the MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians this week, noted former Tustin High baseball coach Charles Chatman. Boone became the 246th pick in the draft.

The lefthander, a 2018 Tustin High graduate, was named Co-Big West Pitcher of the Year this season and earned second team All-American and first team All-West Region.

Another former Orange County pitcher, UCSB’s (San Clemente High) Michael McGreevy, was selected in the first round earlier this week by the St. Louis Cardinals.

OC Sports Zone has a follow-up story. Please click here to read.

SEND SPORTS NEWS TO:

TIMBURT@OCSPORTSZONE.COM