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Matt Shaw (baseball)

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Matt Shaw
Shaw with the South Bend Cubs in 2023
Chicago Cubs – No. 6
Infielder
Born: (2001-11-06) November 6, 2001 (age 23)
Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
March 18, 2025, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
(through June 24, 2025)
Batting average.220
Home runs2
Runs batted in9
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
WBSC Premier12
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Tokyo Team

Matthew James Shaw (born November 6, 2001), nicknamed "The Night Agent", is an American professional baseball infielder for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025.

Amateur career

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Shaw grew up in Brimfield, Massachusetts and initially attended Wilbraham & Monson Academy before transferring to Worcester Academy.[1] He played summer collegiate baseball after graduating high school for the Worcester Bravehearts of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL).[2]

As a freshman for the Maryland Terrapins, Shaw was named to the Big Ten Conference All-Freshman team after batting .332 with 42 runs scored and 30 RBIs. After the season, he returned to the FCBL and played for the Amsterdam Mohawks.[3] Back with the Terrapins, Shaw was named first team All-Big Ten as a sophomore after batting .290 with 22 home runs and 67 RBIs.[4] During the summer of 2022, he played for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he hit .360 and was named the league's MVP.[5][6][7] Shaw became Maryland's all-time leader in home runs during his junior season.[8][9] After the 2023 season, he won the Brooks Wallace Award.[10]

Professional career

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The Chicago Cubs selected Shaw in the first round, with the 13th overall selection, of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft.[11] On July 14, 2023, Shaw signed with the Cubs for the full slot value of $4.85 million.[12] He split his first professional season between the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Cubs, High-A South Bend Cubs, and Double-A Tennessee Smokies.

Shaw split the 2024 campaign between Tennessee and the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, playing in 121 total games and hitting .284/.379/.488 with 21 home runs, 71 RBI, and 31 stolen bases. He won the 2024 Southern League Most Valuable Player Award with Tennessee.[13]

On March 17, 2025, Shaw had his contract selected after making Chicago's Opening Day roster.[14] Shaw made his MLB debut on March 18, during the MLB Tokyo Series.[15] Shaw recorded an infield single as his first career hit as a major leaguer the following day.[16] On March 29, Shaw entered a game in the eight inning as a pinch hitter and hit his first career home run off of Jalen Beeks of the Arizona Diamondbacks.[17]

Shaw struggled offensively as the Cubs' starting third baseman, batting .172 with 1 home run and 18 strikeouts in 18 games. He was demoted to the Cubs Triple-A Iowa affiliate. On May 19 he was recalled to the major league club and was inserted into the starting lineup at third base. On July 3 Shaw hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in extra innings to score the ghost runner in a 1-0 victory over Cleveland.[18]

International career

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Shaw was named to the United States national baseball team for the 2024 WBSC Premier12.[19] He was named to the All-World Team as the best third baseman. He also led the tournament in runs batted in.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Once a contact hitter, Matt Shaw is now Maryland baseball's all-time home run leader: 'He cares about everything'". The Baltimore Sun. April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  2. ^ "Leading off and going long". Telegram & Gazette. August 20, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  3. ^ "Shaw leading way for PGCBL-best Amsterdam Mohawks with hot hitting". The Daily Gazette. July 11, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  4. ^ "Cape Cod Classic just one of many special events at Polar Park this year including 200 non-WooSox events". Telegram & Gazette. July 18, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  5. ^ "#24 Matt Shaw - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  6. ^ "Local stars Matt Shaw (Worcester Academy) and Nigel Belgrave (Auburn High) flourishing for Bourne in prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League". Telegram & Gazette. July 26, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  7. ^ Gammons, Peter (August 12, 2022). "Gammons: Cape Cod league MVP Matt Shaw latest in long line of young players flourishing in summer". The Athletic. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  8. ^ Iacovacci, Jonathan (April 26, 2023). "Matt Shaw hits record-breaking home run in Maryland baseball's 16–3 rout of Georgetown". TestudoTimes.com. SB Nation. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  9. ^ Delucci, Marc (May 7, 2023). "MLB Pipeline mock draft has SF Giants selecting Maryland INF Matt Shaw". SI.com. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  10. ^ "Maryland's Matt Shaw named winner of 2023 Brooks Wallace Award". MLB.com.
  11. ^ Mooney, Patrick (July 10, 2023). "Cubs draft Matt Shaw, another first-rounder they see making the jump to Wrigley Field". The Athletic. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  12. ^ "Cubs Draft Notes: Already High on Shaw, Targeted Tools, Wiggins Upside, Rivera, (UPDATE: Shaw Signs)". bleachernation.com. July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  13. ^ "Minor League Postseason All-Stars". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on September 25, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  14. ^ "Cubs Promote Matt Shaw". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  15. ^ Bastian, Jordan (March 18, 2025). "Matt Shaw, Cubs top prospect, makes MLB debut in Tokyo Series". MLB.com. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  16. ^ "Matt Shaw's first career hit". MLB.com. March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  17. ^ "Matt Shaw's first career home run | March 29, 2025". MLB.com. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  18. ^ "Matt Shaw on his walk-off sac fly in extras". Cubs.com. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  19. ^ Guttenplan, Dan (November 12, 2024). "USA Baseball: Matt Shaw scorching in international tournament". New England Baseball Journal. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  20. ^ "Chieh-Hsien Chen is the WBSC Premier12 2024 MVP". WBSC. November 24, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
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