Chicago Cubs top prospect Matt Shaw has only one barrier to his success

The Chicago Cubs gave up on talented but wildly inconsistent prospect Christopher Morel last July, trading him with other prospects to the Tampa Bay Rays for the steadier third baseman, Isaac Paredes.

Then, they traded Paredes in December to the Houston Astros, along with top third base prospect Cam Smith (and pitcher Hayden Wesneski) for outfielder Kyle Tucker.

Chicago Cubs Clear Third Base Options

So, if you’re keeping track, in a matter of six months, the Cubs got rid of a failed third baseman, a major league-ready third baseman, and a top third base prospect. Then, throw in the fact that they also released a second-string, power-hitting third baseman in Patrick Wisdom during that time frame.

That essentially leaves the team with…nobody…at third base.

Well, it’s not exactly “nobody.”

The Cubs hope that their top prospect Matt Shaw (no. 22 prospect in all of baseball) will take that corner infield spot and keep it for himself.

That’s a tall order for a 23-year-old who was just drafted by the Cubs in 2023 and has only played 88 games at third base, total, through both the minors and college.

Matt Shaw, Special?

Shaw, however, seems to be special.

Offensively, he’s earned the reputation of being somewhat of a phenom, with a MLB.com scouting report going out on a limb to say that Shaw “has no discernible weakness” when it comes to his offensive prowess.

Defensively, he’s had his setbacks, but his glove work can’t be labeled a full-on weakness. His strongest position is probably second base, but he’s projected to have enough athleticism and raw ability to be an average defender at third.

Ready or not, though, Shaw is going to be put at third base and, from there, it’ll be his position to keep or relinquish.

“It’s amazing to have an opportunity [to make the opening day roster],” Shaw recently told MLB Network Radio.

Matt Shaw, Up To The Task?

By all accounts, the kid appears up to the task.

Per Mike Scioscia, who managed Shaw in the Premier12 tournament this winter:

“He had the opportunity to work with two of the best infield coaches that we have in the United States — Dino Ebel and Keith Johnson. The work they put in with Matt — it paid off quickly. You saw him play great defensive third base in this tournament. It’s a newer position for him, but with the Cubs, I think that’s where they’re projecting him to play as he gets in the major leagues…On the defensive side, he improved so much in just one month. On the offensive side, I think you saw his ability to drive the ball to all parts of the ballpark, and he runs the bases well. He’s got a great future.”

There’s also this, from Michael Baumann and Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs:

“While I was asking Eric for his input on [Cam] Smith, he went out of his way to communicate his excitement about Matt Shaw, the Cubs’ first-round pick in 2023 out of the University of Maryland. He called Shaw ‘among the twitchiest, most fun to watch players in the minors’ and ‘a 5-foot-9 stick of dynamite who plays with all-out effort.’ Shaw, a middle infielder in College Park, has apparently taken to third base in the pros and shows the potential for plus defense there.”

For the Cubs’ sake, Shaw better be ready for this big step forward, the team’s working without a net on this one.

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