Chicago Cubs Still Weighing Matt Shaw's Opening Day Status, Per Report

Matt Shaw is primed to make the leap to the big leagues in 2025, but it still remains to be seen if the Chicago Cubs are comfortable inserting him into their lineup for the Tokyo Series.

Matt Shaw, shown here with the minor league Iowa Cubs in 2024, stands to be the Chicago Cubs everyday third baseman this season. | Cody Scanlan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have yet to rule top third base prospect Matt Shaw in or out for an Opening Day roster spot, The Athletic's Patrick Mooney reported Friday morning.

The Cubs are starting their regular season earlier than most, playing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tokyo Series on March 18 and 19.

Shaw, 23, has yet to make his MLB debut. He reached Triple-A for the first time in 2024, a year after the Cubs selected him out of Maryland in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft.

When the Cubs traded Isaac Paredes to the Houston Astros in the Kyle Tucker deal, then missed out on Alex Bregman in free agency, Shaw became the favorite to serve as Chicago's starting third baseman. However, Shaw was dealing with an oblique injury in the early days of spring training camp and did not make his Grapefruit League debut until March 2.

Shaw is 2-for-9 with an RBI and a strikeout so far this spring. In 159 career minor league games, he has hit .303 with 29 home runs, 28 doubles, eight triples, 99 RBIs, 46 stolen bases and a .906 OPS.

MLB Pipeline has Shaw ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Cubs' farm system and the No. 19 overall prospect in baseball. He ranks No. 2 among third basemen, trailing only the Baltimore Orioles' Coby Mayo.

If Chicago determines Shaw still needs more time to prepare to take over in the hot corner, veteran free agent additions Justin Turner and Jon Berti will be contending for the starting third base ahead of the Tokyo Series.

Per Mooney, the Cubs still view Shaw as their third baseman of the future. So even if he isn't added to the active roster in the next week, Shaw likely won't have to wait much longer for his first big league promotion.

Related MLB Stories

• GIL OUT 3 MONTHS: New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil, fresh off winning AL Rookie of the Year, will start the 2025 season on the injured list with a lat strain. CLICK HERE

• WHITE SOX PANNED BY THE SHOW: MLB The Show 25 had its ratings reveal on Wednesday, crowning Luis Robert Jr. as Chicago's highest-rated player at a mere 77 overall. CLICK HERE

• ALCANTARA ON INNINGS LIMIT: Teams looking to trade for Sandy Alcántara could be happy to see that the Marlins will be limiting his workload early on in 2025. CLICK HERE

Follow Fastball On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.