Matt Shaw -- Prospect Evaluation

Matt Shaw, selected 13th overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 2023 Draft, has emerged as the organization's fifth-ranked prospect and jumped to No. 54 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. In his first professional season, Shaw played across three minor league levels—primarily at High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee—and finished second among 2023 draft picks in total bases with 97. Over 38 games, he compiled a .357/.400/.618 slash line with 8 home runs, 28 RBIs, 27 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases, demonstrating elite offensive production immediately upon turning professional.

Shaw's offensive prowess has been evident throughout his baseball career. At the University of Maryland, he was named an All-Big Ten Freshman Team member and Freshman All-American in 2021, leading the Terrapins with 61 hits, 16 doubles, and a .332 batting average. Cubs VP of Scouting Dan Kantrovitz emphasized Shaw's strengths, describing his as a "dynamic bat" with decision-making ability, consistent contact, and power-hitting capacity—"a pretty good recipe for success in the future."

While defensive questions remain regarding his long-term position, Shaw's offensive abilities position him as an everyday contributor. The 22-year-old from Springfield, Massachusetts, has demonstrated the ability to play multiple infield positions. His rapid ascent through the Cubs' farm system, which ranks first organizationally with seven players in MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects, underscores his exceptional offensive talent and immediate professional impact.

The Chicago Cubs selected Maryland shortstop Matt Shaw with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, continuing the franchise's tradition of drafting shortstops early. Shaw's college resume includes a 2022 Cape Cod League MVP award and a stellar junior season with 24 home runs, 69 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases across 62 games.

Multiple scouts view Shaw as a multi-tool prospect centered around elite hitting ability and power. Jim Callis of MLB.com noted Shaw possesses one of the best hit tools in the entire draft class, drawing Ian Happ comparisons, while acknowledging he likely projects to second base rather than shortstop at the major league level. Tyler Jennings of Prospects Live highlighted Shaw's smooth right-handed swing, bat-to-ball skills, very good power, high average exit velocity (exceeding triple digits multiple times), and improved chase rate with strong plate discipline.

Beyond his offensive profile, scouts emphasize Shaw's plus speed and positional versatility. Jack Sabin of Vendetta Sports Media described Shaw as having "blazing speed" that should translate to 30-plus stolen bases at the professional level, while also praising his patient approach at the plate, tendency to work walks, ability to limit strikeouts, and consistent hard contact to all fields. Overall, scouts view Shaw as a complete offensive package with the bat serving as his primary tool.

Matthew James Shaw, born November 6, 2001, is the Chicago Cubs' top prospect entering 2025 and ranks #35 on Baseball America's prospect list. The 5'11", 185-pound right-handed batter was selected 13th overall in the 2023 draft from the University of Maryland and signed for $4,848,500. Shaw began his college career as Maryland's everyday second baseman in 2021 before moving to shortstop in his sophomore year. In 2023, he posted exceptional numbers across 61 games, hitting .344/.447/.695 with 23 home runs, 20 doubles, a 13.8% walk rate, and just a 13.5% strikeout rate while breaking Maryland's program home run record.

Shaw's physical tools are impressive for his frame, featuring snap-quick hands, immense wrist and forearm strength, and 90th percentile exit velocity around 107 mph. He employs a closed stance with a large leg kick, allowing him to drive the ball to all fields with authority, particularly showing power to the right-center gap. After struggling with secondary pitches as a freshman and sophomore, he improved significantly in 2023, though he remains prone to expanding the strike zone. He grades out as a 55-overall prospect with 55 grades in hitting and power, 55 in running ability, 45 in fielding, and 45 in arm strength.

Defensively, Shaw demonstrates above-average athleticism as an infielder and elite baserunning instincts, achieving a 94.7% stolen base success rate (18-for-19) in 2023. However, evaluators question whether shortstop is his long-term defensive position due to fringe-average arm strength. He projects as a serviceable second baseman at the professional level. His career progression includes multiple assignments to and recalls from the Iowa Cubs minor league affiliate in 2024-2025.

Matt Shaw, an infielder from the University of Maryland, is being evaluated as a potential eighth overall pick for the Kansas City Royals in the 2023 MLB amateur draft. The Brimfield, Massachusetts native committed to Maryland after developing into a high-regarded recruit at Worcester Academy, demonstrating early power by hitting 8 homers in 11 games in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League the summer after high school.

Shaw's freshman season (2021) was productive, batting .332/.409/.544 with 16 doubles and 7 home runs across multiple infield positions and left field. He recorded a 16.8% strikeout rate with an 8.4% walk rate, earning Big Ten All-Freshman Team and Perfect Game Freshman All-American honors. Following his freshman year, Shaw competed primarily in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, posting exceptional numbers: .369/.469/.689 with 9 homers in 35 games while stealing 14 bases in 16 attempts, though he finished second for league Player of the Year.

In 2022, Shaw became Maryland's primary shortstop and opened the season with strong performance, going 7-13 with 2 home runs in the Terps' series at Baylor. He subsequently dominated Big Ten pitching throughout the season, helping guide Maryland deeper into the postseason as a starting shortstop.

Matt Shaw, the Cubs' 13th overall draft pick in 2023, is competing to fill the third-base position vacated when the team traded Isaac Paredes to the Astros in December. The 23-year-old Maryland product has demonstrated exceptional hitting ability throughout his professional career, earning Double-A Southern League MVP honors in 2024 while posting a .284/.379/.488 slash line with 21 homers and 31 steals in 121 combined games at Double-A and Triple-A. He also represented Team USA at the Premier12 tournament in November, batting .412 with 14 RBIs in seven games to help secure a bronze medal, positioning himself as a potential starter for the Japan Series against the Dodgers.

Shaw's hitting credentials extend back to his college career at Maryland, where he set the school's career home run record with 53 and won Big Ten Conference Player of the Year honors in 2023. He previously won the Cape Cod League batting title (.360) and MVP Award in summer 2022 after generating minimal recruiting interest out of Worcester Academy. Standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 185 pounds, Shaw models his game after Dustin Pedroia, balancing aggression with discipline while generating plus raw power from his compact frame. He projects as a .280 hitter with 25 homers at his peak, capable of driving the ball from foul pole to foul pole.

The Cubs have made clear Shaw must earn the third-base job and brought in multiple competitors including Gage Workman (Rule 5 Draft acquisition), Vidal Bruján (traded from Miami), and free-agent Jon Berti. Shaw's availability for the season opener was temporarily in doubt after he strained his left oblique early in Spring Training, but he returned to go 5-for-16 (.313) with one strikeout in 19 plate appearances. Currently ranked No. 19 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list, Shaw's path mirrors that of Kris Bryant, the Cubs' last rookie third-base starter who won NL Rookie of the Year in 2015 and contributed to the franchise's 2016 World Series championship.