Matt Shaw -- General News
General News sources for Matt Shaw of the Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are utilizing spring training to develop utility infielder Matt Shaw into a more versatile player across multiple positions. With the addition of Alex Bregman, Shaw lost his everyday third base job and now faces the challenge of learning new positions to remain valuable. He has received extensive reps in the outfield—a position where he has no professional experience—and recently started at first base against Kansas City, also a new position for him.
Manager Craig Counsell acknowledged the difficulty of Shaw's spring training experience while justifying the approach: the team wants him prepared for multiple roles when the season begins. With backup first baseman Tyler Austin expected to miss the start of 2026, Shaw could assume backup duties at that position behind Michael Busch. This versatility is crucial for Shaw to maintain regular at-bats in his second major league season.
Shaw's spring performance at the plate has been encouraging, batting .333 with strong peripherals including a 50% hard-hit rate, 14.8% whiff rate, and 90% zone-contact rate across 35 plate appearances. The Cubs are positioning Shaw to potentially play third base, shortstop, second base, outfield, and first base, providing multiple pathways to keep him in the lineup throughout the 2026 season.