Matt Shaw: A Classic Rookie Rollercoaster

When Matt Shaw broke camp with the Chicago Cubs and headed to Tokyo for the season-opening series, expectations were high, and fans were excited. The 2023 first-round pick had rocketed through the minors with a mature approach, a compact swing, and the kind of polish you rarely see in a prospect just a year removed from the draft. The Cubs were betting on Shaw to help stabilize the infield and bring a spark to the bottom half of the lineup. The clear spot for him was at third base, and he was ready, or so we thought.

Two games into his big-league debut, Shaw had just one hit, one error, and was on a fast track to tough lessons. The Cubs didn’t sugarcoat it. Manager Craig Counsell praised Shaw’s defense while acknowledging the offensive transition would take time. That turned out to be an understatement.

Rough Waters Early On

In his first 18 games, Shaw slashed a rough .172/.294/.241. He struck out 18 times in 68 plate appearances and looked overmatched against big-league breaking balls. The plate discipline that defined his college and minor league days was still there; he managed to walk at a 10 percent clip, but the hard contact had disappeared, and contact seemed rare. The expected growing pains had arrived in full right out of the gate.

On April 15, the Cubs made the call that shocked nobody: Shaw was headed to Triple-A Iowa.

A Temporary Reset in Iowa

The demotion was not a punishment; it was a recalibration. In Iowa, Shaw got back to basics. Over 24 games, he hit .286 with a .409 on-base percentage and a .560 slugging mark. He launched six home runs, drew walks, and showed signs of the hitter the Cubs believed in. Swing tweaks, including a more upright stance and better lower-half timing, helped him regain rhythm; they didn't do away with the big leg kick completely, but they adjusted it.

The front office saw enough. Shaw was recalled to the big-league roster in late May and immediately injected into the lineup.

Return of the Glove, Questionable Bat

Since returning to the majors, Shaw has been more stable, but far from a force. Over his last 34 games, he is slashing .219/.305/.362 with a 27.1 percent strikeout rate. He has hit a couple of clutch walk-offs, including a sacrifice fly and a single, but those flashes have not translated into consistency.

He enters the second week of July with a .203 batting average and just two home runs. The power has once again vanished. His walk rate (11.4%) remains encouraging, yet he is chasing more and missing hittable pitches. The hard contact is sporadic, the slugging is light, and the confidence at the plate looks uncertain.

The Defense Holds Up