Chicago Cubs infield prospect Matt Shaw has been turning heads this spring at the plate, but it was his glove that grabbed the headlines during Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals.
Shaw, a first-round pick of the Cubs in the 2023 MLB Draft, was manning third base in the fifth inning of Tuesday’s game when he had to field a slicing bouncer off the bat of Tyler Gentry.
Shaw snagged the ball, and as he went into foul territory he was able to muscle a one-bounce throw over to first base to record the out, doing his best Nolan Arenado impression in the process:
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After being drafted last season, Shaw quickly made his way through the minor leagues, reaching Double-A West Tennessee by the end of the season. In 15 games with the Smokies, Shaw batted .329 with three home runs and nine RBI’s, and also stole six bases for good measure.
Coming into this season, Shaw has begun to turn heads among fans both in Chicago and across the league, and he’s not escaping the attention of major ranking services. According to Baseball America, Shaw is the No. 31 prospect in all of baseball, and MLB Pipeline has him ranked at No. 54 in their latest Top-100.
Shaw has appeared in 10 games this spring for the Cubs, collecting three extra-base hits and driving in five RBI’s. He also has an OPS of .749, leading all qualified hitters for the club.
