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Jed Hoyer Reveals When Matt Shaw Will Return to Cubs After Demotion

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jon Conahan | Last updated May 10, 2025 3:45 PM ET

It's tough to get a feel for what the Chicago Cubs might do with Matt Shaw. Currently playing in Triple-A Iowa, Shaw, who made his big league debut during the 2025 campaign for the Cubs, didn't find much success during his first crack in the show.

He posted a .172 batting average and struck out 18 times in 58 at-bats.

There shouldn't be much panic from the organization just yet. Even if Shaw gets another chance during the 2025 season, there will likely be some struggles to come with it.

Playing at the highest level isn't easy, even for some of the top prospects in baseball like Shaw.

However, keeping him in Triple-A also makes little sense for his development. He's gone down there and hasn't swung the bat at a great level, hitting .246 with just one home run in 61 at-bats. His confidence could be down after being demoted, but that's ultimately something he has to work on.

Regarding when Shaw could be called up, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said there isn't a timetable for his return, and there isn't a set amount of at-bats the Cubs are trying to see from him before they call him back up.

“There’s really not,” Hoyer said, per Marquee Sports. “Some of that comes down to need, but there’s not a lot of science behind that. You can try to but ultimately, it comes down to, how is he putting up his numbers? What pitches is he swinging at? Who’s he doing his damage against? Those kind of things are probably gonna be a big part of it.”

Many have wanted Shaw to be promoted again over the past few weeks due to the Cubs' offense. However, until Hoyer and the other decision makers believe it's time, Iowa will be his home.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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