The Chicago Cubs have shown a lot of faith in their top prospect Matt Shaw,
Even when flirting with acquiring free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, there was still the assertion that the team would find a place for the 23-year-old talent.
A first round draft pick in 2023, Shaw has excelled at every level of the Cubs’ farm system, carried along by a hitting game MLB.com scouting has described as having “no discernible weakness.”
But the defense has come along too. Bolstered by his own raw talent and willingness to put in hard work, Shaw has hyper-focused on third base after the needs of the major league club dictated he switch from shortstop and second base in favor of the hot corner.
A Word Of Non-Advice For Matt Shaw
And now here he is, on the opening day roster and facing the biggest professional step up of his life. There will be plenty of trial and error involved in his rise to big league prominence. Even with several veterans on the team, much of his move forward depends on him and him alone.
“It’s basically you got to figure out what works for you,” shortstop Dansby Swanson told reporters on Sunday, in reference to Shaw, after the Cubs beat the Yomiuri Giants 4-2 at the Tokyo Dome.
“I think that the more that you play, the more that you get experience – the only way to get experience is by playing and so it’s going to be on him to figure those things out.”
Swanson’s ‘he’s got to figure it out on his own’ non-advice is savvy and realistic. Coaches will prep and teammates will aid, but a young player’s success or failure, ultimately, depends on his own ability to adapt and grow into his role.
By all accounts, Shaw’s makeup is as stellar as his physical ability.
“His preparation is good,” Swanson added. “He’s obviously a really good player. He’s really talented, emotionally and mentally. He’s in a really good place.
“He’s got a long career ahead of him. There’s going to be ups and downs, and it’s just a matter of who can show up each and every day ready to win games. And I think that he’s got that in him. That’s what I would say, is he’s gonna just consistently need to figure out what works for him.”
Shaw Is On The Precipice Of Big Things
Shaw, himself, understands this reality and is saying all the right things in advance of his big leap forward.
“There’s pressure no matter where you are,” Shaw told The Athletic. “I look forward to it. Everyone’s going to fail sometimes. You look up around the entire big leagues — whether it’s the best of the best or new guys like myself — you find that everybody struggles from time to time. It’s just being able to minimize that, move past it and just accept it for what it is. That’s part of the game.”
The Chicago Cubs Believe In Shaw
Cubs manager Craig Counsell recognizes that Shaw has passed every test put before him as a Cub and has earned his place on the major league roster.
“Matt is a very talented young player who has really excelled at every challenge that we have given him as a professional player,” Counsell told MLB.com “So, he has earned the ability to be on this roster and he’s earned the right to be in the starting lineup. And we’re excited about what the future holds for him.”
All that’s left now for Shaw is the fun part, the actual playing of the game– which is also the hard part.
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