Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight!

Nick McLain - Photo: Daniel Curren

Article By: Brian Butler

Nick McLain of Arizona State University is the third member of his family to suit up for the Wareham Gatemen. His two older brothers, Matt (‘19) and Sean (‘21), both appeared at Clem Spillane Field, before going on to be selected in the MLB Draft by the Reds and Dodgers, respectively.

McLain didn’t necessarily plan to play for the same Cape League team as his brothers, but has been grateful to get that chance.

“I was just lucky to come [to the Cape]. To come out and play for the same team as them just set up perfectly, to be honest,” said McLain of his opportunity this summer.

As the youngest McLain brother, Nick had to do a lot to try to keep up with his two older brothers, especially in a family with so much baseball talent. Absorbing as much baseball knowledge as he could was crucial to Nick from a young age.

“I was the baby around them so I got beat up a bit. It’s helped me out in the long run, but it was a lot of fun,” said Nick of his experiences as the youngest brother in a big baseball family.

The McLain brothers still talk nearly every day about their experiences in the baseball world, and aspire to one day play together in the Show.

“I’d love to be in the same lineup [with them]. It’d be super cool if we played in the big leagues together in the same lineup somehow.”

While they dream of one day reaching the big leagues together, that wouldn’t be the first time all three McLain’s appeared in the same lineup together. As a freshman in high school, Nick made the varsity team at Beckman High School, and got to share the lineup with both Matt and Sean. McLain described the experience as one of the most formative of his baseball career.

“I learned a ton that year. It was one of the best and coolest experiences of my life.”

The McLain brothers appear poised to take the baseball world by storm. Matt was a first round pick in 2020 and has already reached the MLB, quickly becoming a dark horse Rookie of the Year candidate on an exciting young Reds team. Sean was drafted in the fifth round last summer by the Dodgers. Nick has been tearing the Cape League apart since his arrival, posting an OPS over 1.000 at the time of writing, and is tied for second in the league in home runs.

On Sunday afternoon, Matt homered in Cincinnati, and, not to be outdone, Nick went yard for Wareham about two hours later. The McLain family is rapidly arriving in the baseball world, and fans need to be ready to take watch.