News that the Chicago Cubs had agreed to an extension with second baseman Nico Hoerner — a six-year deal that will keep the free agent-to-be on the North Side through at least the rest of his prime, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers — was a welcome distraction from the team's nightmarish loss on Opening Day. But for as great as Hoerner is, the most interesting ripple effect doesn't have anything to do with him.
With Hoerner locked up, the Cubs have their infield for the foreseeable future, with Hoerner, first baseman Michael Busch, shortstop Dansby Swanson and third baseman Alex Bregman all under team control for at least the next four years. One name I didn't mention in that list? 24-year-old Matt Shaw, who's gone from consensus top-50 prospect and third baseman of the future in Chicago to on the outs in the span of 12 months.
Cubs infield is set with Nico Hoerner extension — and Matt Shaw isn't part of it
Not that Shaw himself has had much of anything to do with that. He got off to a bumpy start to his rookie season in 2025, as you'd expect for a 23-year-old thrust unexpectedly into an every-day job after just 35 games at Triple-A, but there was plenty of cause for optimism: He's a tremendous athlete (90th percentile sprint speed) and a good defender, and his bat woke up as the year went on, with an .839 OPS in the second half. Considering his Minor League track record and prospect pedigree, the arrow seemed to still be pointing up.
And yet, Bregman just signed a five-year contract this winter that pointedly did not include any opt-outs (and did include a no-trade clause). Swanson is still a great defensive shortstop who's due $109 million over final four years of his contract. And Chicago certainly wouldn't have paid up enough to convince Hoerner to forgo free agency if it had any designs on moving him any time soon. Jed Hoyer can express faith in Shaw all they want; his actions tell a different story.
It's possible that this is all part of a plan to shift Shaw to the outfield, where he started on Thursday in lieu of the injured Seiya Suzuki. Both Suzuki and Ian Happ are set to be free agents themselves this winter, and unlike Hoerner and Pete Crow-Armstrong, no extensions appear to be forthcoming with either player. With top prospect Owen Caissie off to Miami in the Edward Cabrera trade, there are a lot of innings that need to be filled in 2027 and beyond, and Shaw is certainly skilled enough to win a job for himself.
That's a big if, though, considering that Shaw has very little experience on the grass — and that a move off of third base would put a lot more pressure on his as-yet-unproven bat. It's just as likely that Shaw simply isn't in the Cubs' long-term plans anymore, and if that's the case, teams should be banging down the door to land a player who was considered an elite prospect not too long ago.
Which teams should be most interested in a Matt Shaw trade?
Kansas City Royals
The left side of the infield is set in Kansas City, between shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and third baseman Maikel Garcia. But second base is a huge question mark, with Jonathan India a free agent at season's end and no real depth behind him. Shaw very much fits the mold as a contact-oriented speedster, and he should have little problem switching positions. Plus, his ability to pivot to the outfield can only be an added bonus for a Royals team that got league-worst offensive production from those three spots last season. Kansas City isn't going to break the bank in free agency, and Shaw woudl be an excellent gamble.
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto failed to bring back Bo Bichette this winter, and suddenly the infield is a big of a question mark — especially up the middle, where Andres Gimenez has slumped badly with the bat in recent years and Ernie Clement profiles best as a utility guy rather than an every-day second baseman. Even if Kazuma Okamoto proves to be a keeper at third (hardly a guarantee, no matter how impressive his bat has looked so far), the Blue Jays could stand to add some more talent here.
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta has Austin Riley ensconced at third, and Shaw certainly hasn't shown enough to displace him. But shortstop has been a glaring weakness for the Braves ever since Swanson left town, and second base could become one soon with the team still undecided on the final club option on Ozzie Albies' contract. Even if Atlanta decides to bring Albies back for at least one more season, they need more athleticism and youth on the infield, and Shaw fits the bill.
What should the Cubs target in a Matt Shaw trade?
The flip side here for Chicago is that this presents an opportunity: With all four infielders locked up for the long haul, the team can look to see if someone around the league is willing to blow them away for Shaw — while knowing that he's young enough and versatile enough to hang on to as a utility piece if no one's willing to meet their asking price. That's a pretty good position to be in, all things considered.
And while Shaw didn't set the world on fire in his first taste of MLB action, 24-year-olds with this sort of profile don't become available every day. If the Cubs can get a legitimate starting pitching prospect in exchange, they'd be hard-pressed to say no; Chicago's depth has thinned out considerably beyond Jaxon Wiggins, with Ben Brown failing to take a step forward and Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon all potentially moving on at the end of the season.