Shaw's potent second-half surge and elite glove prove why parting with this rising star would be a critical miscalculation for the Cubs.
Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw continues to pop up in trade rumors. With Alex Bregman taking his spot at third base, there is simply nowhere for him to play in 2026 and potentially beyond.
The front office felt it was necessary to upgrade the third base position before the season. Bregman is definitely an upgrade over Shaw, and he gives the team a veteran with multiple years of playoff experience.
But the future is still bright for Shaw.
Let’s not forget, he’s only 24 years old and was a top-20 prospect in all of baseball just 12 months ago. Trading him after just one Major League season would be an extremely bad move by the Cubs.
Shaw was much better offensively in the second half and showed real signs of growth throughout the year. After hitting .198 with only two home runs across 63 games in the first half, Shaw was more consistent at the plate in the final two months.
He slashed .258/.317/.522 with 11 home runs, 10 doubles, 29 RBI, and six stolen bases over the final 63 games of the season. Those are solid numbers for a player who was getting his first taste of the big leagues.
Trading him away now, following a solid second-half showing, wouldn’t be a smart move. He is only going to get better offensively and already has an elite glove. Shaw was a third base Gold Glove finalist in the National League as a rookie.
So, there really isn’t an incentive to get rid of Shaw.
Sure, the Cubs could trade Shaw for a top pitching prospect like Connelly Early. That could help the team’s farm system after dealing prospects like Cam Smith and Owen Caissie in back-to-back offseasons.
However, Shaw is a valuable piece of this Cubs team in 2026. He’s a player who can play multiple positions in the infield (third base, second base, and shortstop) and has been working in the outfield at the Cubs’ Spring Training Complex over the past few weeks.
There is also a good chance that Shaw is just a better overall hitter this season. With one full Major League season under his belt, the Cubs’ coaching staff has likely identified how they can unlock him at the plate. That begins with reducing his leg kick.
It appears the Cubs are continuing to work with him in that area, as a video shared by John Antonoff showed Shaw with a noticeably reduced leg kick in batting practice a few days ago. That could be the key to helping him reach his full potential.
It’s just too early to give up on Shaw. He showed improvement offensively in the second half by increasing his hard-hit rate by 5.6%, and the Cubs are a better team with Shaw on the roster than off the roster.
Trading him away would be a massive mistake.