2023 MLB Draft: Chicago Cubs select Matt Shaw with the 13th overall pick

With the 13th pick in the MLB draft, the Chicago Cubs have selected Shortstop, second base, and third baseman Matt Shaw. We speculated last month that Shaw might fall to the Cubs with the 13th pick, and we're happy that he did. Shaw is an elite hitting talent that instantly provides a bump in the prospect rankings of the Cubs. It will be interesting to see where he lands among the Cubs' top prospect boards, but it's not hard to envision him landing in the top 10.

Slashing .341/.445/.697 with 24 home runs, 69 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases, Shaw added an impressive 43 walks to just 42 strikeouts in his junior year at Maryland. He won the 2022 Cape Cod Player of the Year last season, and Baseball Prospectus had him landing at 13 on the dot overall and was right on the money.

The Cubs' approach in this draft by taking a college bat with a high upside signifies that they want to compete sooner rather than later. College prospects that get drafted will always be considered someone who can help contribute and arrive earlier than a high schooler, as Shaw can potentially add a jolt to the Cubs lineup within the next couple of years.

The only issue the Cubs will have, defensively, is that there has been a bit of a question about Shaw's arm and if he'd be able to stick at a position like third base. If that's not the case, the Cubs up the middle of Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson will cause an issue that the front office will be happy to address if the problem presents itself. Nevertheless, the Cubs going pitcher-heavy last season will allow them to seek out better bats in this year's draft. Shaw was a fantastic start.

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