Former Cubs First Rounder Making Strong Case for 2025 Opening Day Roster

With major thanks to the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament, Matt Shaw has an even bigger case to make for his spot on the Cubs Opening Day roster this Spring. 

Shaw made plenty of noise this past season down on the farm as he split time between AA and AAA in his pursuit of a big league roster spot. In AA, he played in 86 games and earned 371 at-bats. Shaw slashed .279/.373/.468 and had an OPS of .841. The Infielder clubbed out 14 homers, drove in 50 runs, and collected 11 doubles in the Southern League before earning a well-deserved call-up to AAA.

Shaw didn’t miss a beat once he joined the I-Cubs. The former Maryland Terrapin made the most of his 152 at-bats he received in AAA throughout 35 games. He slashed .298/.395/.534, adding up to a .929 OPS. The pop from Shaw’s bat jumped off the page even more to the media after he arrived in Des Moines, as he blasted seven homers, drove in 21 runs, and smacked eight doubles.

Shaw's impressive numbers weren't the only reason he caught the eye of scouts and fans. His disciplined approach at the plate and his ability to battle in tough counts also stood out. His ability to control the box and never falter in battles continually stood out to those around the organization as well. Many fans and media personalities were begging for the 2023 first-round selection to be a name called up to the show in late September.

Despite that not coming to fruition, Shaw’s showing at the current Premier12 tournament might make it hard for management not to give him a legitimate shot at cracking the roster. 

Through four games and 15 at-bats, Shaw’s numbers are ones that you would normally only see in a video game. He currently holds a .667 average and is getting on base at the same clip. What’s even more eye-popping is his 1.133 slugging percentage, which creates a 1.800 (yes 1.800) OPS for the budding star.

No matter who’s on the mound and what countries the U.S. team is squaring off against, it’s hard to ignore an output at the dish like this. 

Shaw's performance against the Netherlands on November 10 was the big game that put the baseball world on notice. In the USA’s 12-2 victory, the Cubs farmhand drove in seven runs. Shaw finished the contest going 4-5 with a double and a home run in a game that he will never forget a long time. 

When looking at the likelihood of Shaw donning the big league uniform in Tokyo on Opening Day, one individual is standing in his way. The team’s acquisition of Isaac Paredes back in July makes Shaw’s path to the show a difficult one. Despite Paredes showing his struggles after he was swapped for Christopher Morel, he’s a lock to start at third base from the jump. 

Another avenue to Shaw’s Opening Day roster spot would be via a trade of Nico Hoerner. This option is not unheard of, as this rumor of Hoerner being on the move began before the 2024 trade deadline. 

Regardless of how he’d need to make the team, Shaw is certainly going to make things difficult for management to deny him the chance to start 2025 in the show. His numbers from this past season, his overall presence in the box, and the recent showing he put up in the Premier 12 tournament are hard to ignore.

The former Brooks Wallace award winner will see time at the major league level this year, it’s just a matter of when he’ll get that opportunity. 

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