Chicago Cubs Top Prospect Matt Shaw Returns to Action After Oblique Issue

Shaw, who is likely to be the team's starting third baseman at the beginning of the year, is back in action after an oblique injury suffered before camp officially started.

Iowa Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw throws the ball during a game against Columbus on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at Principal Park in Des Moines. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chicago Cubs top prospect Matt Shaw is back in action at spring training after suffering an oblique injury before camp officially started.

Per Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times:

Injury updates from Craig Counsell:
-Owen Caissie (L groin tightness) is shut down. He also underwent core muscle surgery this winter.
-OF Brett Bateman to undergo hamate surgery on his R hand.
-Matt Shaw “doing great” hitting in cage and throwing.
-Javier Assad resumed catch.

Injury updates from Craig Counsell:
-Owen Caissie (L groin tightness) is shut down. He also underwent core muscle surgery this winter.
-OF Brett Bateman to undergo hamate surgery on his R hand.
-Matt Shaw “doing great” hitting in cage and throwing.
-Javier Assad resumed catch.

— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) February 20, 2025

After the Cubs traded away Isaac Paredes this offseason, Shaw has the inside track at the starting third base job this year. Oblique injuries can be quite serious, so it's good for the team that they were able to solve this issue early.

Shaw is ranked as the No. 19 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. He would pair with Kyle Tucker and Dansby Swanson in the middle of the Cubs order.

A first-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Maryland, Shaw is a .303 career hitter in the minor leagues. He has just 35 games of Triple-A experience under his belt, but he did hit .298 in those 35 games last year with seven home runs.

The following comes from a portion of his MLB.com prospect profile:

Growing up as a Red Sox fan, Shaw modeled his game after similarly sized Dustin Pedroia and balances aggression and discipline just like the four-time All-Star did, repeatedly barreling balls despite an effortful right-handed swing. He manages the strike zone well and uses the entire field. His bat-to-ball ability allows him to get to most of his plus raw power and it plays from foul pole to foul pole.

The Cubs opened up Cactus League play on Thursday afternoon against the Dodgers.

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