The Chicago Cubs have added some reinforcements ahead of their series on the road in Miami that starts tonight. The team announced that they have recalled third baseman Matt Shaw from AAA Iowa, making this the second time in 2025 that the 23-year-old will be on the major league club. Shaw was on the team briefly in the beginning of the season but struggled to find consistent success and playing time, leading to the decision by the front office to send him back down to AAA.
After finding a groove in the last couple of weeks, Matt Shaw put himself back into consideration for playing time at third base, a position the Cubs have had trouble finding reliable production from. The Chicago Cubs decided that now is the time for Shaw to make his return and take another stab at big league ball. Shaw will join the team in Miami for their series against the Marlins. In a corresponding move, the team designated Nicky Lopez for assignment.
Matt Shaw Back with Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are standing tall after their weekend sweep over their crosstown rival White Sox at home, and they will be carrying more than momentum with them as they go to Miami to get ready to start a series with the Marlins. They will be carrying a new third baseman with them. Matt Shaw will be rejoining the team in Miami where he will start his second stint at the big-league level this season. The top prospect spent time in the majors earlier this season before being demoted to AAA, and after a sluggish start to what is hopefully a long and prosperous big-league career.
Shaw will likely see more playing time during this new stint with the Cubs, seeing as how the team is in desperate need of help at third base. Between Vidal Brujan, Justin Turner and Nicky Lopez, the situation at third base is one of the top priorities for Craig Counsell and the Cubs to fix moving forward. In bringing up Shaw again, the front office is hoping he can be a reliable solution. In order to make room on the active roster for Shaw, the team decided to designate Nicky Lopez for assignment.
Third Baseman of the Future
By bringing up Matt Shaw for the second time, the Chicago Cubs are hoping that they can find a third baseman for the future. The veteran collaborative effort at the hot corner has not produced the best results so far in 2025, leading the team to look in a new direction. The team ranks 27th in MLB in WAR from the third base position at -0.9. Shaw didn’t do a lot to help in his first go-around with the Chicago Cubs. In 19 games, he hit .194 with a .306 OBP, 1 HR, 4 RBI and 1 SB. He will be looking to improve on those numbers and earn a permanent spot on the active roster moving forward.
Shaw earned a second opportunity with the Chicago Cubs based on his performance in AAA after his initial stint. While some players would struggle to get back into minor league baseball after experiencing the show at the top level, Shaw hit the ground running. He hit .286 with a .409 OBP, .560 SLG and .970 OPS in 91 AB for the Iowa Cubs. He also blasted 6 HR and drove in 14 RBI with 5 SB, showing his versatility and potential to become yet another young and budding star for the Chicago Cubs, who have seen one of the quickest rises in MLB this season with Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Through his AAA production, Matt Shaw is giving fans hope that his persistence in AAA will contribute to success in MLB. Now we can find out, as the Cubs start their second journey with Matt Shaw on the road in Miami to take on the Marlins. This time around the team has given indications that Shaw will receive more consistent playing time and with Nicky Lopez no longer on the team to take at-bats away from him, the path is there for Matt Shaw to become the third baseman of the future for the Chicago Cubs.
