Cubs complete first night of 2023 MLB Draft |
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs tonight completed the first day of the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft, selecting two players, including infielder Matt Shaw out of the University of Maryland with the 13th overall pick. With the 68th overall selection, Chicago picked right-handed pitcher Jaxon Wiggins out of the University of Arkansas.
Shaw was recommended by area scout Billy Swoope and Wiggins was recommended by area scout Ty Nichols. Shaw, 21, batted .341 (90-for-264) with 20 doubles, one triple, 24 home runs, 69 RBI, a .445 on-base percentage and a 1.142 OPS in 62 games for the University of Maryland in 2023. Shaw was named the Brooks Wallace Award winner, honoring the nation’s top collegiate shortstop, as well as the Big Ten Player of the Year, leading the Terps to the Big Ten title. In 167 games across three seasons with the Terps, the five-foot 11-inch, 185-pound Shaw is batting .320 (222-for-693) with 47 doubles, two triples, 53 home runs, 166 RBI and a 1.036 OPS. In 2022 and 2023, he recorded back-to-back 20-plus home run seasons (22 in 2022, 24 in 2023). Shaw is a two-time All-Big Ten selection and was named a Gold Spikes Award semifinalist in 2023. Prior to his junior year, Shaw was named the Cape Cod League Most Valuable Player, after slashing .360/.432/.574 with 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 19 RBI in 36 games, leading the Bourne Braves to the league championship. A native of Brimfield, Mass., Shaw attended Worcester (Mass.) Academy where he was ranked as the No. 9 player in the state of Massachusetts per Perfect Game during his senior season. Wiggins, 21, has appeared in 34 games (19 starts) for the University of Arkansas, striking out 110 batters in 89.0 innings, good for an 11.1 strikeout per 9.0 IP ratio. The right-handed pitcher went 9-4 with a 6.17 ERA (51 ER/89.0 IP) and four saves in two seasons with the Razorbacks. He missed the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery. The six-foot six-inch, 225-pound Wiggins was named a Preseason All-American by Baseball America prior to the 2022 campaign. During his freshman season in 2021, Wiggins tallied four saves, the second-most on the team. A native of Roland, Okla., Wiggins attended Roland High School, where he played both basketball and baseball. He was ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect and the No. 3 right-handed pitcher in the state of Oklahoma by Perfect Game in his senior year. The 2023 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continues tomorrow with rounds 3-10, before concluding on Tuesday with rounds 11-20. The highest draft pick in Maryland Baseball history:
“Going into today, Chicago was where I wanted to go.”
With the 68th pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, the Chicago Cubs select Jaxon Wiggins! pic.twitter.com/eJlCoX9C0M
Matt Shaw pic.twitter.com/M0yH2mbIRt
Cubs first-round pick Matt Shaw joins the 2023 Draft Special tonight ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/juejLuQAdi
