The last time a rookie claimed the Cubs¡¯ third-base job, he was a first-round pick who reached Wrigley Field after just one full season in the Minors. Kris Bryant worked out pretty well, winning National League Rookie of the Year honors in 2015 followed by the NL MVP Award and a World Series ring in 2016.
The Cubs now hope history can repeat itself with Matt Shaw. Drafted 13th overall out of Maryland in 2023, he was the Double-A Southern League MVP and one of four 20/30 players in the Minors last year, when he slashed .284/.379/.488 with 21 homers and 31 steals in 121 games between Double-A and Triple-A. He also was Team USA's best hitter at the Premier12 tournament in November -- with the medal games played in the Tokyo Dome, where Shaw could make his MLB debut -- batting .412 and topping the event with 14 RBIs in seven games while earning a bronze medal.
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After Chicago included Isaac Paredes in the Kyle Tucker trade with the Astros in December, the 23-year-old Shaw seemed like the obvious choice to replace Paredes at the hot corner. But the Cubs also made it clear that Shaw would have to earn the job and brought in several potential competitors: Gage Workman via the Rule 5 Draft, Vidal Bruj¨¢n from the Marlins in a trade for Matt Mervis, Jon Berti as a free agent.
Ranked No. 19 on MLB Pipeline¡¯s Top 100 Prospects list, Shaw strained his left oblique at the beginning of Spring Training, putting his availability for the season-opening Japan Series against the Dodgers in doubt. After missing the first 10 days of Cactus League play, he returned to go 5-for-16 (.313) with just one strikeout in 19 plate appearances.
That¡¯s no surprise because Shaw has hit everywhere he has played. Though he attracted little recruiting interest out of Worcester (Mass.) Academy, he became an immediate starter at Maryland and put himself on the prospect map by winning the Cape Cod League batting title (.360) and MVP Award in the summer of 2022. He added the Terrapins¡¯ career home run record (53) and Big Ten Conference player of the year accolades in 2023 before becoming the highest pick in school history and signing for $4,848,500.
Listed at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Shaw grew up as a Red Sox fan and modeled his game after diminutive All-Star Dustin Pedroia. Just like the four-time All-Star did, Shaw balances aggression and discipline better than most players, controlling the strike zone and repeatedly barreling balls despite an all-out right-handed stroke.
Shaw¡¯s bat speed and the strength in his compact frame enable him to generate plus raw power, and his hitting ability allows him to get to most of it. He¡¯s capable of driving the ball out of the park from foul pole to foul pole, projecting as a .280 hitter with 25 homers at his peak.
Shaw¡¯s solid speed, adventuresome nature on the bases and high baseball IQ make him a threat to steal. He has swiped 46 bases in 60 attempts (77 percent) in 159 games in the Minors and could be a 20-20 guy in the big leagues.
While there¡¯s little doubt about Shaw¡¯s ability to make an offensive impact, there are questions about his defense at third base. He¡¯s still learning the position after spending his freshman year at Maryland at second base and his final two college seasons and most of his pro debut at shortstop. He committed eight errors in 63 starts at the hot corner last year.
Shaw¡¯s below-average arm isn¡¯t a great fit for third base, though he compensates with his quickness and fast hands. He¡¯s best suited for second base, though the Cubs have Gold Glover Nico Hoerner there and signed through 2026. But if Shaw hits as expected, his defense will be good enough.