Shaw 'Ready For The Next Chapter Of My Life'

Matthew Shaw SS / OF / Worcester Academy, MA / 2020

MESA, Az. - As the 13th pick in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft, Matt Shaw is confident the Big Leagues is just around the corner.

“My goal is to get to the major leagues as soon as possible,” explained the first-round selection of the Chicago Cubs. “I hope that journey is within a year, year-and-a-half … two years.”

For going on two weeks now, the 21-year-old has been working out in Arizona after signing a contract with the Cubs for the slot amount of just less than $5 million.

“I’ve been training in Arizona and they’ll let me know by the end of this week or next what the plan is,” Shaw said.

A typical day thus far starts by arriving at the facility at 8 a.m.

“We have training at 9, then hitting, live ABs, individual infield work, a little running and we lift every other day or every third day,” Shaw noted. “You get all the work done in three hours and then you rest the rest of the day.”

A Red Sox fan growing up, the Worcester Academy 2020 graduate had two teams he felt he might get selected by in the draft.

“My expectation was to go anywhere from eight to 20,” Shaw explained. “I knew the Cubs and Sox were interested and I would have been surprised to go past that.”

It was an exciting time waiting for the call.

“I wasn’t sure how it would all work out,” Shaw said. “I had an agent checking in with the Red Sox and Cubs which seemed to be the two most interested.”

As for Shaw?

“I was with my whole family,” related the 5-11 185-pounder. “Obviously it was amazing when your name is called. Now I’m ready for the next chapter of my life.”

Despite eligibility still remaining at Maryland, Shaw admits it was not a difficult choice to make in signing a professional contract.

“It was never really much of a decision for me,” explained the starting shortstop for this year’s Big 10 champions, who hit .341 while scoring 80 runs, both second best on the team. “They wanted me and I’m ready. It was an easy decision. I wasn’t in contact with Maryland. They knew where my head was at with the whole thing.”

Original interest from the pros began his second year of college.

“I started talking with them sophomore year,” Shaw reflected. “The winter before junior year I started having meetings with different teams and area scouts.”

Now the focus has turned to improvement with hopes of reaching the major leagues sooner rather than later.

“Everyone says hitting moves you up quicker,” Shaw said. “I want to get as many live ABs as I can, swing at strikes and take balls. I need to make some adjustments, get my arm stronger and stay consistent.”

While shortstop has been his position, Shaw understands what is needed to get to the ultimate level in the game.

“I’ve been taking most of my reps at shortstop but if you want to play in the major leagues you have to play different positions,” Shaw said. “You have got to find a way to hit and be able to play other positions.”