{"id":27429,"date":"2025-01-19T10:36:57","date_gmt":"2025-01-19T10:36:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=27429"},"modified":"2025-01-19T10:36:57","modified_gmt":"2025-01-19T10:36:57","slug":"shaw-aims-to-seize-cubs-third-base-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=27429","title":{"rendered":"Shaw aims to seize Cubs’ third-base job"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CHICAGO — When the Cubs\u00a0acquired star outfielder Kyle Tucker\u00a0last month, they shipped a pair of third basemen — big leaguer Isaac Paredes and Top 100 prospect Cam Smith — to the Astros as part of the blockbuster trade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Matt Shaw, ranked by MLB Pipeline as Chicago\u2019s\u00a0top prospect, could see a path to the Major League roster opening up.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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  • Get Cubs tickets for the 2025 season<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    The opportunity that Shaw has in front of him was reiterated by the front office on stage at Cubs Convention on Saturday morning. General manager Carter Hawkins told fans filling the main ballroom that the Cubs \u201cexpect him to do everything he possibly can\u201d to claim the vacancy at third base.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    \u201cNo matter how much the opportunity might present itself,\u201d Shaw said, \u201cit\u2019s still going to be, \u2018You\u2019ve got to earn that spot.\u2019 Hopefully, given the opportunity, I\u2019ll be able to show what I\u2019ve got and be able to earn that position.\u201d<\/p>\n

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    With the caveat that the Cubs are looking to create a \u201csafety net\u201d behind Shaw, as Hawkins phrased the situation, this is very much the prospect\u2019s job to seize. Seven players made at least one start for Chicago at the hot corner last season, and the only one of those still on the roster is fellow prospect Luis Vazquez, who started just once.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    This offseason, Chicago has added some infield pieces by\u00a0trading for Vidal Bruj\u00e1n, picking Gage Workman in the\u00a0Rule 5 Draft\u00a0and adding prospect Ben Cowles (No. 25\u00a0on Pipeline\u2019s Cubs list). Hawkins said the front office will also continue to explore external options to add more experience to the depth chart.<\/p>\n

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    • Cubs shift focus after Sasaki pursuit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      All of that said, the 23-year-old Shaw will have this spring to convince the Cubs to trust him from the jump.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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      \u201cWe\u2019ve all kind of been in those shoes at one point or another, right?\u201d Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. \u201cWhen we\u2019re coming up through the ranks and have an opportunity to break with the team. I\u2019m just excited for him and this opportunity he has in spring to be able to put his best foot forward. We\u2019ll see how things go.\u201d<\/p>\n

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      The Cubs picked Shaw with the 13th overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft and have been aggressively moving him up the organizational ladder. Last season, he began a transition to third base from the middle infield and honed his skills there, while climbing from Double-A to the Triple-A level.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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      In 121 games last year, Shaw had a\u00a0slash line\u00a0of .284\/.379\/.488 with 21 homers, 19 doubles and 31 steals. He then manned third while helping Team USA take bronze in Japan during the Premier12 tournament in November. Shaw made the All-World Team after hitting .412 with a tourney-high 14 RBIs and 24 total bases.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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      • Cubs newbie Tucker conveys convention wisdom<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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        \u201cThe one thing with Matty is he\u2019s hit everywhere that he\u2019s been,\u201d Cubs hitting coach Dustin Kelly said. \u201cThat\u2019s been the one constant. He hit in high school. He raked in college. He\u2019s flown through the Minor Leagues. He did the Premier12 and hit.\u201d<\/p>\n

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        Shaw also has earned rave reviews for his work ethic behind the scenes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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        Last offseason, Shaw began to dedicate his time to the move to third base. He then impressed the Major League staff and veteran players with how he conducted himself in his first big league Spring Training camp. Shaw\u2019s trip to Cubs Con this week comes after he already began training at the team\u2019s complex in Arizona.<\/p>\n

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        • Sosa highlights Cubs’ 2025 Hall of Fame class<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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          \u201cHe\u2019s an unbelievable worker. He kind of reminds me of Nico [Hoerner] a little bit in that context,\u201d Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. \u201cHe\u2019s kind of taken every challenge we\u2019ve given him, and he\u2019s continued to improve defensively.\u201d<\/p>\n

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          Shaw said he has studied video of such third basemen as Nolan Arenado and Alex Bregman — the latter being closer to his stature and approach. Shaw said the important component for him is fine-tuning his footwork, taking advantage of his quick reaction time rather than focusing solely on arm strength.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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          \u201cHe seems to have seized every opportunity so far,\u201d Hoerner said. \u201cI don\u2019t see any reason why this should be different.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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          Shaw called it an \u201camazing\u201d chance he has ahead of him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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          \u201cLook, Matt made an impression last spring,\u201d Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. \u201cAnd then he went out and had a really good season. We have some opportunity there — there\u2019s no question about it. Players want opportunity. Young players that have performed — they want opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          CHICAGO — When the Cubs\u00a0acquired star outfielder Kyle Tucker\u00a0last month, they shipped a pair of third basemen — big leaguer Isaac Paredes and Top 100 prospect Cam… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":27430,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nShaw aims to seize Cubs' third-base job - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=27429\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shaw aims to seize Cubs' third-base job - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"CHICAGO — When the Cubs\u00a0acquired star outfielder Kyle Tucker\u00a0last month, they shipped a pair of third basemen — big leaguer Isaac Paredes and Top 100 prospect Cam...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=27429\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-19T10:36:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/avtvip-86.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=27429\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=27429\",\"name\":\"Shaw aims to seize Cubs' third-base job - 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