The Chicago Cubs have a new infield prospect with some serious power and great plate discipline in Maryland's Matt Shaw.
The Cubs drafted Shaw with the No. 13 overall pick in the MLB Draft on Sunday night. Not only did Chicago get a potentially great player, they have a guy who really wanted to be with the franchise.
"Chicago is where I wanted to go," Shaw said.
“Going into today, Chicago was where I wanted to go.”
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 10, 2023
Cubs first-round pick Matt Shaw joins the 2023 Draft Special tonight ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/juejLuQAdi
Shaw was prolific this season, slashing 341/.445/.697 with 24 home runs and 69 RBIs. The 21-year-old shortstop aims to rise up the minor league ranks quickly and get to the majors in short order. And the Cubs may fit the bill in this regard.
“I wanted to be at a team that I thought would move me up and give me the opportunity to kind of fail early and learn, to kind of get my footing through playing against really good competition," Shaw explained. "Moving up to Double-A, moving up to the Majors. For me, the Cubs, I think, will do a good job with that. And that's really exciting to me.”
Shaw said being with the Cubs is unbelievable and they're a team he really wanted to go play for. Despite growing up a Red Sox fan, Shaw feels playing at historic Wrigley Field is where he ultimately belongs.
"The history of the field, the players that are there, seemed like a perfect fit for me," Shaw said. "When my name got called for Chicago, it was like 'this is great, this is perfect'. It just felt right."
Matt Shaw, the Cubs' first round pick, was that guy who hit the 507 foot grand slam against Iowa earlier this year. lol. pic.twitter.com/hmQSkIn1ba
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) July 10, 2023
The Cubs starting shortstop is currently All-Star Dansby Swanson, who's in the first year of a seven-year, $177M dollar contract. Swanson texted Shaw and joked with him about a position switch.
“He says, ‘Matt, you've got to go play second base, you're not gonna play short,’” Shaw said.
If Shaw can continue to hit for average and power, he'll be in the majors swiftly and part of an infield tandem with Swanson.
More must-reads:
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit into the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .217/.288/.408 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability, and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts, and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.
The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
The Boston Red Sox won their series against the defending World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, but fans are crossing their fingers that the impressive victory did not come at a cost. The Red Sox took two out of three games from the Dodgers with their 4-3 win at Fenway Park on Sunday. Alex Bregman hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Boston's bullpen was lights out after starting pitcher Walker Buehler allowed three earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. Not everything went the Red Sox's way, however. Closer Aroldis Chapman came on to pitch in the eighth, and he issued back-to-back walks to Miguel Rojas and Mookie Betts. Chapman then got Shohei Ohtani to fly out before the left-hander was removed from the game. Chapman was accompanied by a trainer as he walked gingerly off the field. Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters after the game that Chapman experienced tightness in his back. Cora said he is hopeful Chapman will not have to go on the injured list. Chapman also downplayed the issue and said he was dealing with back spasms. He does not expect to miss significant time. Even if Chapman winds up being fine, the ailment is a reminder that the Red Sox need to bolster their bullpen ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Chapman has been Boston's best reliever this season. He has a 1.30 ERA across 45 appearances and has struck out 61 batters across 41 2/3 innings. His 0.82 WHIP is the lowest mark of his career since 2012. The Red Sox are fighting for an AL wild-card spot, and Chapman is the most important piece of their bullpen. If they intend to make a postseason run, they should focus on adding another arm in the coming days, regardless of the extent of Chapman's injury.
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!