Team USA Manager Mike Scioscia Believes Matt Shaw Can Play 3B for Cubs

Photo of Evan Altman Evan AltmanNovember 27, 2024

Team USA may have only taken home bronze in the Premier12 tournament, but a strong finish allowed them to end on a high note after losing in the first game of the opening round. The real story of the event was the emergence of Matt Shaw on the international stage. The Cubs’ top-ranked prospect cemented his nigh-untouchable status by batting .412 with two homers and a tournament-leading 15 runs batted in.

We recently took a look at Shaw’s hitting mechanics, specifically his big leg kick and how that may change as he moves up to the highest level. It’s possible he keeps the larger move in plus counts and just quiets things down when he falls behind or senses a breaking pitch coming, similar to how the Angels’ Zack Neto has done early in his career.

You can see in the video below how Shaw is able to maintain great balance even with that kick, controlling his weight to control his wait. He does that by starting from a slightly closed stance with his back foot pointing toward the back-inside corner of the box and his front foot extremely pigeon-toed as a way to pre-coil his pelvis. Shaw then gets a little taller rather than getting more into the ground as he begins his stride, and you can see that he doesn’t generate a great deal of ground force.

As an aerial mover, he wants to initiate everything with his upper body and isn’t as dependent on staying grounded as a terrestrial mover would be. That also means he needs a little help clearing his hips, hence coiling early and then landing with his front foot open to let his pelvis rotate. It’s kind of odd-looking, especially when you isolate the lower half, but buying into the concept of motor preference as taught by University of Maryland head coach Matt Swope has allowed Shaw to tap into his potential in a big way.

The bat has never been an issue, though. Any hand-wringing over Shaw’s future centers around where he’ll play, with many believing he’s best suited for second base. But that only becomes an option if the Cubs move Nico Hoerner, which is tough due to both his all-around consistent play and the fact that he’s currently rehabbing from forearm surgery. Then you’ve got third baseman Cam Smith rising rapidly through the ranks as well, making third base less of a long-term option even if Shaw can play it capably.

But the Cubs don’t need to make anything permanent, they simply need to find a way to keep Shaw’s bat in the lineup. Some have suggested he could be a Ben Zobrist-esque utility option, though I’ve advocated for him to be given the reins at third. Despite some questions about his ability to play there regularly, at least one person is convinced the former Terrapin has what it takes.

“He had the opportunity to work with two of the best infield coaches that we have in the United States: Dino Ebel and Keith Johnson,” Team USA manager Mike Scioscia told Jason Coskrey of The Japan Times. “The work they put in with Matt, it paid off quickly. You saw him play great defensive third base in this tournament. It’s a newer position for him, but with the Cubs, I think that’s where they’re projecting him to play as he gets in the major leagues.

“On the defensive side, he improved so much in just one month. On the offensive side, I think you saw his ability to drive the ball to all parts of the ballpark, and he runs the bases well. He’s got a great future.”

Shaw played primarily at shortstop in college with 18 games each at short and third, but a plurality of his time in the Cubs organization has come at the hot corner. Doing so in Chicago would mean parting ways with Isaac Paredes, who probably needs to make some swing adjustments or experience much better weather conditions to avoid perpetuating those brutal home-road splits. Of course, part of the reason the Cubs made the trade for Paredes was to improve what had been among the league’s worst defensive results at third.

Replacing Paredes with Shaw presents a little risk in that regard, but we’re talking about a team that gave a bulk of its innings at third the last two seasons to a group comprised of Christopher Morel, Nick Madrigal, and Patrick Wisdom. I’m willing to go out on a limb and say Shaw can at least be slightly better than that group. And if you’re worried about arm strength, just remember how Madrigal had to shuffle three times before barely beating runners even on hard grounders.

What it comes down to is that Shaw has the potential to be an immediate impact player for the Cubs next season and they need to find a way to give him playing time. Concerns over what to do with Smith and/or James Triantos can wait until they force the issue as well. Even if those concerns may come to fruition somewhat soon, Craig Counsell and the front office can’t really afford to get too cute with this stuff.

Photo of Evan Altman Evan AltmanNovember 27, 2024
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