Matt Shaw of Chicago Cubs Gets Positive Injury Update After Straining Oblique Muscle

Cubs top prospect Matt Shaw is dealing with an oblique injury suffered at spring training, but it looks like it's not too serious as Shaw is already back to work on Saturday.

Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw (77) bats against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning at Surprise Stadium in 2024. / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

After some worrisome news on Friday, Chicago Cubs top prospect Matt Shaw is back to work on Saturday.

Per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score on social media:

First take -Cubs Matt Shaw said he can begin light hitting today after straining his oblique Monday. He has sat out four days.

First take @670TheScore -Cubs Matt Shaw said he can begin light hitting today after straining his oblique Monday. He has sat out four days.

— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) February 15, 2025

Even though the Cubs are sure to slow play Shaw's workload, this is a positive step considering that oblique injuries can keep players out for several weeks, if not months.

After the Cubs traded away Isaac Paredes this offseason and missed out on free agent Alex Bregman, Shaw has the inside track at the starting third base job in Chicago this year.

He is ranked as the No. 19 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. He will 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 Cubs are coming off a season in which they finished tied for second in the National League Central, but they finished 10 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers.

In addition to adding Tucker this offseason, the Cubs have also brought in free agent pitcher Matthew Boyd to help the rotation. They traded away Paredes, as well as former MVP Cody Bellinger.

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