(670 The Score) The Cubs selected University of Maryland shortstop Matt Shaw with the No. 13 overall pick in the MLB Draft on Sunday evening.
The 21-year-old Shaw was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2023, when he hit .341 with 24 homers, 69 RBIs and a 1.142 OPS in 62 games. He had a .445 on-base percentage and also stole 18 bases in 19 attempts. He drew 43 walks while striking out 42 times.
"My reaction right away was the Cubs were a team I really, really wanted to go play for," Shaw said. "I was really excited and very happy it worked out the way it did. I was going through the different teams, and I was thinking that (the Cubs) would be a good team for me. It worked out great. I am really happy right now.
"I wanted to go to a team that I could get to the major leagues as quickly as possible, a team that would let me fail early and play against really good competition right away. For me, I think the Cubs will do a good job of that for me. My goal is to play in the major leagues. Dansby Swanson sent me a text, and that was really cool. Hopefully I will be able to play with him."
Shaw earned first-team all-Big Ten honors in 2022 and 2023, when he was also an All-American. Some scouts believe his best long-term position will be second base.
“Shaw might be one of the better college hitters in the draft class,” read the MLB Pipeline scouting report on him. “He rarely strikes out and draws walks while making consistently hard contact. He can drive the ball to all fields, and he showed off impressive opposite-field power last year for Maryland, with many of his homers going out to right and right-center field. He’s a plus runner who is a legitimate base-stealing threat.”
With a compensation pick at No. 68 overall, the Cubs selected Arkansas right-hander Jaxon Wiggins, who missed the entire 2023 season after having Tommy John surgery. Wiggins was 6-3 with a 6.55 ERA in 66 innings in 2022, when he struck out 82 batters and walked 43.
Listen live to 670 The Score via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker