Inside The Cubs

Cubs Star Prospect Has Rare Skill Not Usually Possessed by Third Basemen

The Chicago Cubs could have a special player on their hands based on his skill set.

Kenneth Teape

Mar 19, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, JPN; Chicago Cubs second baseman Matt Shaw (6) rounds third base in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome.
Mar 19, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, JPN; Chicago Cubs second baseman Matt Shaw (6) rounds third base in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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The Chicago Cubs made several changes to their roster this offseason, which has led to several new faces being in their everyday lineup.

Acquiring right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros was the biggest addition. He will be counted on to anchor the group as the No. 1 run producer, and he has plenty of motivation to get the job done.

Despite battling injuries in 2024, he still recorded a 4.7 bWAR.

A healthy campaign would cement his status as top 10 position player in the game and put him in line for a historically large contract after the season.

One of the players who will be offering support of Tucker in the lineup is top prospect Matt Shaw.

To land the three-time All-Star outfielder, the Cubs had to part ways with third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and star prospect Cam Smith.

Moving Paredes, who was acquired ahead of the deadline last July from the Tampa Bay Rays, created a hole at the hot corner. That is where Shaw will be playing in 2025 and hopefully the foreseeable future.

It could take the star prospect a little while to get acclimated to the big leagues after having only 131 at-bats at the Triple-A level.

He looked a little overwhelmed at times during spring training, producing a .227/.320/.273 slash line with only one extra-base hit and four RBI. But, he did suffer an injury early on which delayed his spring and could have contributed to his underwhelming production.

That didn’t stop the team from having him in the lineup during the Tokyo Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But, he did struggle with the bat.

Shaw was 1-for-9 with four strikeouts, struggling to square up the ball with a 76.3 average exit velocity and 20.0% hard hit rate.

Certainly not the start he or the team were looking for, but he has plenty of time to get on track and prove his worth.

With a starting job in a talented lineup locked up, Shaw is one of the sleepers that Matt Brandon of Sports Illustrated highlighted for the upcoming campaign.

“... and his foundational skill set suggests the potential for a 25/30 player early in his career. Speed at third base can be a significant asset, as demonstrated by the success of players like José Ramírez,” he wrote.

That speed is something that will separate him from his peers at the position.

Across 159 minor league games he stole 46 bases, getting caught 14 times, while hitting 29 home runs with 28 doubles and eight triples.

That power/speed combination is going to look great in the top half of the Chicago order for years to come.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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