Matt Shaw Launches Four Homers In Big Week
Matt Shaw with the 13th pick in the first round of last summer's draft. The talented infielder has an advanced approach and high baseball IQ at the plate, showcasing a rare blend of both aggressiveness and discipline. He produces hard contact, hits to all parts of the field, and has even exceeded power expectations so far this year. He also draws walks at a decent clip and has kept his strikeout rate in a reasonable range. Defensively, he has a reliable glove, so while not super rangy, he should stick at second or third base long-term. Shaw put on a show last week, hitting 9-for-21 with four homers, nine RBI, five walks, and five strikeouts. He also stole a base. His best performance during that stretch came on Sunday as he slugged two homers in one game. The 22-year-old has played pro baseball for less than one year, but he's already pushing for a promotion to Triple-A.
Source: FanGraphs
The Chicago Cubs selected second baseman Source: FanGraphs
Matt Shaw Tallies Four Hits On Tuesday
Matt Shaw went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI during Tuesday's contest against Triple-A Buffalo. This was Shaw's third-straight game tallying multiple hits. Since returning to Triple-A Iowa on April 18, the Maryland product has held a strong .290/.405/.452 slash line with two doubles and a home run. Shaw was able to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training but was optioned back to the minor leagues after he struggled. Across his first 18 games in the big leagues, the former 13th overall pick held a modest .172/.294/.241 slash line with just two extra-base hits. Fantasy managers in deeper NL-only formats should continue to monitor his status at Triple-A, as he should contend for an early return to the big leagues. When he does return, he will be worth rostering in all standard leagues given the potential he has shown at Triple-A.
Source: MiLB.com
Chicago Cubs infield prospect Source: MiLB.com
Matt Shaw Goes Deep On Sunday
Matt Shaw went 2-for-5 with a double and a home run during their contest on Sunday against Triple-A Louisville. This was his second-straight contest, tallying two hits. This was also his first long ball since returning to Triple-A. Shaw was able to earn a spot on the MLB roster out of spring training but was optioned following his first 18 games when he held a .172/.294/.241 slash line with just one double and a home run. During this first taste of the MLB, he held a 26.5 percent strikeout rate. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he should be in the mix for an early return to the major leagues. Last summer at Triple-A, the former 13th overall pick held a .298/.395/.534 slash line. Fantasy managers in deeper NL-only formats should continue to stash Shaw on their bench.
Source: MiLB.com
Chicago Cubs infield prospect Source: MiLB.com
Cubs Option Matt Shaw To Triple-A
Matt Shaw to Triple-A Iowa. Shaw was able to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster out of spring training but will be sent back to the minor leagues to continue his development. Through his first 18 games in the majors, the Maryland product posted a modest .172/.294/.241 slash line with two doubles and one home run. Shaw drew walks at a strong 14.7 percent rate but generated a weak .272 xwOBA. In addition, Shaw posted a hefty 26.5 percent strikeout rate with a 30.8 percent whiff rate. Last summer, the former 13th overall from the 2023 MLB Draft performed very well in Double-A and Triple-A. Across 121 games split between the upper levels, Shaw posted a stellar .284/.379/.488 slash line with 21 long balls. Fantasy managers should expect Justin Turner and Jon Berti to split time at the hot corner going forward.
Source: Keith Law
The Chicago Cubs have optioned third baseman Source: Keith Law
Matt Shaw Stays Hot At The Plate
Matt Shaw went 2-for-4 with two RBI during their 10-2 victory over the Athletics on Wednesday afternoon. In the third inning, Shaw hit an RBI single, which scored Justin Turner. Later in the seventh, he would bring outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong home on his second single. Since posting a .118/.167/.118 slash line through his first four games in the major leagues, the former first-round pick has begun to flip the script. Over his last five games, the Maryland product has posted an impressive .294/.429/.529 slash line with one double and one long ball. He has held a 4:5 BB:K over this stretch. Last summer, the 23-year-old posted an elite .298/.395/.534 line through his first 35 games at Triple-A. Fantasy managers should continue to expect the Cubs to provide Shaw an everyday opportunity at the hot corner, as long as he continues this production.
Source: MLB.com
Chicago Cubs third base prospect Source: MLB.com
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