The Chicago Cubs head into the 2025 season needing to get some production out of players who don’t have a ton of experience, but there’s one prospect who has yet to take an MLB at bat who they obviously feel pretty good about.
Cubs top prospect Matt Shaw is expected to make his big league debut this season, and it very well could be on Opening Day if everything goes according to plan.
There’s still a lot of offseason to play out and Chicago could look to acquire a third baseman after dealing away Isaac Paredes in the Kyle Tucker trade, but being willing to send Paredes out of town was obviously a clear sign they feel good about Shaw.
Jed Hoyer talked about the 23-year-old last month and said he will have to earn the job, but Shaw will have every opportunity to seize control.
MLB executives across the league obviously feel the same way, and in a vote surveying decision makers and scouting departments from every team, Shaw received the second-most votes on predictions for National League Rookie of the Year trailing only baseball’s top prospect in Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews.
MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo wrote that the trade, naturally, made it far more likely Shaw would get a crack at third base in the Majors this season.
“The 2023 first-round pick made it to Triple-A in 2024, finishing with 21 homers and 31 steals, before starring for Team USA in the Premier12 Tournament,” Mayo wrote.
While Crews secured an overwhelming 50% of the vote, Shaw came in second with 18.8%. Beginning the 2024 season in Double-A after a massive 38-game debut 2023 across rookie ball, High-A, and Double-A, Shaw answered the bell. In 86 games in Double-A, Shaw was hitting .279 with an OPS of .841 before being promoted to Triple-A and stepping up his game even further.
In 35 games in Iowa, the young slugger raised his average to .298 with an OPS of .929 along with seven home runs and 21 RBIs. It was an incredibly impressive performance from the No. 13 overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft and one that inspired confidence he could be the main man at the hot corner in Wrigley Field for years to come.
With a clear need now at third base and Shaw showing no signs of slowing down in his climb to the MLB, the young star should have a great chance at coming in right away and making a major impact. And maybe, just maybe, pushing for the prestigious Rookie of the Year honor.
