Matt Shaw Stats & Scouting Report

AB	312
AVG	.279
OBP	.373
SLG	.468
HR	14

Full name Matthew James Shaw
Born 11/06/2001 in Springfield, MA
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Maryland
Drafted in the 1st round (13th overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2023 (signed for $4,848,500).

View Draft Report

School: Maryland Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
BA Grade:55/High
Tools:Hit: 55. Power: 55. Run: 55. Field: 45. Arm: 45.

A highly-competitive middle infielder, Shaw started his career as the everyday second baseman for Maryland as a freshman in 2021, before assuming the starting shortstop role in his sophomore year. Shaw has been a powerful hitter throughout his collegiate career and broke Maryland’s program home run record in 2023, while also blitzing through the Cape Cod League in 2022, where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect. He is listed at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, but has significantly more strength than you’d expect from that frame thanks to snap-quick hands and immense wrist and forearm strength. He hit .344/.447/.695 in 61 games in 2023, with 23 home runs and 20 doubles, a 13.8% walk rate and 13.5% strikeout rate. Shaw has a closed stance and large leg kick but his bat speed and strength allow him to drive the ball to all fields with authority and he wore out the right-center gap with home run power as a junior, with a 90th percentile exit velocity around 107 mph. After struggling with contact against secondaries as a freshman and sophomore, Shaw improved significantly in that area in 2023, though he does still expand the strike zone a bit too much. He’s an above-average runner with standout baserunning instincts and went 18-for-19 (94.7%) on the bases in 2023. Shaw should have the defensive ability to stick on the infield, but there’s skepticism that shortstop is his long-term home. He should be fine as a serviceable second baseman with fringe-average arm strength.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Medium.

Track Record: A native of Brimfield, Mass., Shaw starred for three seasons at Maryland, where he set the program’s home run record with 53. As a rising junior in 2022, Shaw won Cape Cod League MVP honors and led the league with a .360 average. He carried that momentum into 2023, when he won Big 10 Conference player of the year honors. The Cubs drafted Shaw 13th overall that year and signed him for $4,848,500. Shaw is Maryland’s highest drafted player ever. He appeared in 38 games at three levels after the draft, reaching Double-A Tennessee for the final three weeks of the season. In 2024, Shaw began the season at Double-A and moved to Triple-A Iowa in August. He hit .284/.379/.488 with 21 home runs and 31 stolen bases in 121 games. Shaw participated in the Futures Game and was awarded Southern League MVP honors after the season.

Scouting Report: Shaw stands just 5-foot-9, but he plays well above his height, showing an explosive combination of hitting ability, power and speed. He does a good job of balancing aggression and plate approach while avoiding passivity at the plate and showing enough barrel awareness to keep his strikeouts in check. Shaw’s ability to make consistent, hard contact against a variety of pitch types is testament to his advanced hitting ability, and his swing adjustments allow him to not only do damage against breaking and offspeed pitches, but to also consistently find the barrel. Shaw’s ability to drive the ball in the air consistently allows him to get the most out of his power in games. He hits the ball with authority to all fields, spraying an even number of pull-side and opposite-field home runs in 2024. Shaw will have above-average power at peak with 25-plus homer upside. He pairs his hitting ability and power with above-average speed and an aggressive approach on the bases. Shaw will run into outs from time to time but isn’t afraid to take the extra base and is adept at reading pitchers and getting good jumps. In the field, Shaw has seen time at multiple positions. Drafted as a shortstop, Shaw saw more time at third base in 2024, starting 63 games at the hot corner. Shaw is a fringe-average defender at third and, due to his lack of arm strength, is likely only a fill-in at shortstop. Though he showed above-average range at third, his actions can look awkward. He lacks the natural arm strength typical of third basemen, but his athleticism and quick release allow him to make many plays that less nimble infielders do not make.

The Future: Shaw is a bat-first infielder with power and an above-average hit tool. His positional versatility could earn him big league playing time in 2025 and should make him one of the more dynamic rookies.

Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Fielding: 45 | Arm: 45
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: Shaw had a storied three-year career at Maryland. He set the program’s all-time home run record with 53, won the 2023 Big Ten Conference player of the year award and won the 2022 Cape Cod League MVP award after leading the league with a .360 batting average for Bourne. He became the highest-drafted player in Maryland history when the Cubs drafted him 13th overall in 2023 and signed for $4,848,500. Shaw continued to mash after signing, batting .357/.400/.618 with eight homers, 28 RBIs and 15 steals in 38 games while vaulting to Double-A in his pro debut.

Scouting Report: Shaw isn’t particularly big at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, but he’s strong in his frame and packs a punch at the plate. His quick hands, strong forearms and exceptional barrel accuracy allow him to consistently drive balls hard to all fields. He regularly squares balls up and is particularly adept at driving the ball the other way to right-center field. Shaw is an aggressive hitter and doesn’t walk much, but his natural feel for the barrel helps keep his strikeouts down. He projects to be an above-average hitter despite his aggressive approach and makes enough hard contact to envision above-average power with lots of doubles. He further enhances his offensive game as an above-average runner with elite basestealing instincts. Shaw primarily played shortstop at Maryland and is serviceable there, but his fringy arm strength plays better at second base. The Cubs experimented with him at third base and were encouraged by the early results. He plays extremely hard and is a polished, mature player for his age.

The Future: The Cubs internally see similarities between Shaw and Dustin Pedroia in both ability and playing style. Shaw is on the fast track and has a chance to make his major league debut in 2024.

Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 45

Draft Prospects

School: Maryland Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
BA Grade:55/High
Tools:Hit: 55. Power: 55. Run: 55. Field: 45. Arm: 45.

A highly-competitive middle infielder, Shaw started his career as the everyday second baseman for Maryland as a freshman in 2021, before assuming the starting shortstop role in his sophomore year. Shaw has been a powerful hitter throughout his collegiate career and broke Maryland’s program home run record in 2023, while also blitzing through the Cape Cod League in 2022, where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect. He is listed at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, but has significantly more strength than you’d expect from that frame thanks to snap-quick hands and immense wrist and forearm strength. He hit .344/.447/.695 in 61 games in 2023, with 23 home runs and 20 doubles, a 13.8% walk rate and 13.5% strikeout rate. Shaw has a closed stance and large leg kick but his bat speed and strength allow him to drive the ball to all fields with authority and he wore out the right-center gap with home run power as a junior, with a 90th percentile exit velocity around 107 mph. After struggling with contact against secondaries as a freshman and sophomore, Shaw improved significantly in that area in 2023, though he does still expand the strike zone a bit too much. He’s an above-average runner with standout baserunning instincts and went 18-for-19 (94.7%) on the bases in 2023. Shaw should have the defensive ability to stick on the infield, but there’s skepticism that shortstop is his long-term home. He should be fine as a serviceable second baseman with fringe-average arm strength.