The Chicago Cubs’ front office has made it extremely clear that they intend to bolster the roster this offseason heading into the 2025 campaign. They’ve also made it clear that they’re going to prioritize adding quality pitchers rather than making moves to improve their position player corps, given the lineup (and defense) is the team’s biggest strength right now.

However, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and the rest of Chicago’s brass have asserted that they’re open to adding to their lineup if the opportunity presents itself, especially given that Kyle Tucker is expected to sign elsewhere in free agency.

While losing Tucker will be tough to recover from, the Cubs already have a deep and talented outfield, with Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Seiya Suzuki, along with No. 1 prospect Owen Caissie, who is knocking on the door to the big leagues. They also have a solid infield. But if there’s one position they could clearly stand to improve, it’s third base.

Matt Shaw (who was Chicago’s No. 5 overall prospect in 2024) was the Cubs’ primary third baseman in 2025, and his .226 average, .689 OPS, 13 home runs, and 17 stolen bases in 126 games suggest there’s room for improvement.

Shaw was also a slightly below-average defender last season, according to Baseball Savant, although that didn’t keep him from being a finalist for the 2025 NL Gold Glove Award at third base. While he’s still just 24 years old, some feel like Chicago would be best suited to find someone else to play third base in 2026.

Jed Hoyer’s Comments About Matt Shaw Speak Volumes

Despite what he did in 2025, it seems that Jed Hoyer still has faith in Shaw, which was conveyed by recent comments he made that were included in a November 15 article from Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.

“He struggled at different times offensively but I thought he had a long stretch in the middle of the year where he showed what he can be,” Hoyer said of Shaw.

“I thought defensively he was exceptional. I think if he plays a full season, he’s probably a Gold Glove finalist. It was fun to watch his improvement as the year went on.”

Perhaps Shaw’s improvement in the second half of the season compared to the first is enough for Hoyer and the Cubs to not be aggressive in finding another third baseman to replace him. But if he struggles again in 2026, Shaw could be on a short leash.

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