The Chicago Cubs made a good problem for themselves when they signed free agent third baseman Alex Bregman to a 5-year, $175 million contract this offseason.
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With the three-time All-Star coming aboard, they would have to move Shaw from the Cubs’ third base spot he was pegged to occupy for the foreseeable future.
Last year, Shaw, the Cubs’ no. 1 draft pick in 2023, basically got his starting gig because the front office came up short in their efforts to sign Bregman that offseason. But, despite some significant early struggles with the bat (and a brief return to the minors because of them), the rookie did well enough to earn rights to the hot corner in 2026– until Chicago made their second– and successful– bid for Bregman.
What to do with Matt Shaw
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So, the post-Bregman problem facing the Cubs was centered around what to do with the 24-year-old Shaw.
Although always considered a bat-first prospect coming up, Shaw has played all around the diamond. Throughout the minors and college, he played every position but catcher, pitcher, and first base before settling down at second and third in the Cubs’ organization.
Now, the new role for Shaw seems to be as a super utility player off the bench who can spell starters and facilitate in-game switches. Most surprisingly, the Cubs seems to be looking at him as a fourth outfielder.
Shaw and Suzuki platooning in right?
MLB insider Bruce Levine recently talked up an even bolder possible plan for the sophomore– as part of a semi/quasi platoon at right field with Seiya Suzuki.
“Craig Counsell said that Shaw is definitely going to be getting a lot of time in the outfield,” Levine said during an interview on 104.3 The Score. “And when there’s a left-hander on the mound, you could probably bet that Matt Shaw is in the outfield and Suzuki is your DH…You’re going to see Suzuki most of the time in right field, but when I pressed Counsell yesterday about at bats for a young player like Shaw, are there enough at bats to keep the progression of his player development going, he said ‘yeah, we’re going to have ten guys that get enough at bats” and I think that included [Moises] Ballesteros and Shaw.”
Although this right field platoon idea seems mostly to be coming from Levine and not directly from Counsell, it’s still an interesting idea that’s, honestly, not too far off from what Counsell generally likes to do with his roster.
Lots of questions
There are some concerns, though, about Shaw’s ability to see more than a sprinkling of innings in the outfield. He surprised many by playing a stellar defensive third base last year, but it’s simply not likely that he’ll be as stellar moving between four or five positions.
Levine, himself, questions whether he’s up to the task.
“I think he’s a baseball athlete that can do that, but honestly, it’s biting off an awful lot, especially for a guy that’s still trying to prove himself as a hitter in the major leagues,” Levine said. “I think there’s an awful lot going on. I think he’s all about challenges, and I think he’ll respond to that, but I just think there’s a lot at this point.”
Also per Levine, though, Counsell doesn’t expect Shaw to be “superlative” defensively in his utility role, “just good.”
Lost in this still-theoretical right field shuffle with Suzuki and Shaw is the affect it will have on rookie hitting phenom Moises Ballesteros, who would then become a platoon DH, getting most of his at bats against right-handers.
But it’s still very early in spring training. Right now, ideas are just ideas. Whatever the case, though, the Cubs are in a better spot, depth-wise, than they were at this time last year.
Matt Shaw: ‘Playing outfield has been fun’
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