Getting to Know: Cubs first-rounder Matt Shaw

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Mon Jul 10 11:40:21 GMT-05:00 2023

Unless you live under a rock, you would know that the 2023 MLB draft got underway on Sunday and will continue through Tuesday. That means more than 600 players will land in an MLB organization, and 20 of those players will call the Cubs organization home.

Over the next several weeks, we will dive into each of the Cub's selections, including their undrafted pickups, to break down their attributes and what the Cubs saw when making their selection. It all starts with their round-one pick and will continue across the board.

Heading into the MLB draft, the Cubs were one of the mystery teams on the board. Given they were picking at No. 13, a lot of the top names were going to be off the board, and you had to think there would be a lot of best-player available talk. Regarding the Mock draft, the Cubs were in talks with Colin Houck, Hurston Waldrep, and Matt Shaw, as those were the ones expected to land with the Cubs. This was one of the rare times the Mock Draft was correct as the Cubs drafted Big Ten player of the year and Maryland SS Shaw with the 13th pick in the 2023 MLB draft.

“This day has been obviously amazing,” Shaw said after being selected. “The Cubs were a team that I really, really wanted to go play for. So, my reaction was really just excited. I'm really glad that it worked out the way it did.”

Graded out as the 16th best prospect, Shaw gets selected No. 13, so you can't say this is a reach. It could turn out to be a steal, depending on how things transpire, as he has had a tremendous collegiate career. Shaw was part of a Terrapins team known for solid infield talent, and he is just another name to check off the list.

Looking at what Shaw did in college, you immediately point to his first two seasons when he hit .332 as a freshman and followed that up with 22 homers as a sophomore. He also earned Cape Cod League MVP honors by slashing .360/.432/.574, which helped improve his draft stock this season.

Looking back at his Junior season this year, Shaw continued to play at a high level which is why many teams were looking at him in the 11-18 range. He hit a .341 (90-264) across 62 games while being an extra base machine. He finished the season with 20 doubles, one triple, 22 homers and 69 RBIs. He also added a .445 OBP and 1.142 OPS, which is to be expected when nearly half of your hits are extra base hits.

Shaw is ready to get going on his journey to the pros.

“I wanted to be at a team that I thought would move me up,” Shaw said, “and give me the opportunity to kind of fail early and learn, to kind of get my footing through playing against really good competition. Moving up to Double-A, moving up to the Majors.

“For me, the Cubs, I think, will do a good job with that. And that's really exciting to me.”

Although not one of the bigger names in the draft, don't let that fool you, as Shaw may be one of the best hitters in this entire draft class. Like Nico Hoerner and Nick Madrigal product when they came out of college, Shaw rarely strikes out at the plate and isn't afraid to take walks. He also has a knack for making plenty of hard contact and uses the entire field to his advantage.

One that stood out this past season, as opposed to his previous years, was the opposite field power he put on display much more frequently this season than last. More than half of his homers went the opposite which is an impressive state as he has always shown pull-side power. Along with the hitting tools, Shaw is also a plus runner who will become a base-stealing threat in this league.

When you draft a shortstop, you're banking on their defense, translating just as much, if not more, than the bat itself. Not only is Shaw more than capable of playing SS at the next level, but he also showed much more defensive versatility last season and saw time at 2B, 3B, SS, and LF. The Cubs have been known as a team focusing on defensive versatility, and Shaw fits that mold.

Look for him to begin his professional career as a SS, but given his arm strength, 2B may be his future if the Cubs want to fast-track him to the MLB. Shaw has a bright future in this league, but if his bat continues to produce at the level it has thus far, he may reach the upper minor leagues sooner rather than later. Look for him to play some games in the ACL before jumping to Low-A or High-A before long.

Matt Shaw says that Chicago is where he wanted to go. Cubs were the “perfect fit” for him. pic.twitter.com/yOjYmMxdo3
— Cubs Zone ™️ (@CubsZone) July 10, 2023