NAME: Matt Shaw
SCHOOL: University of Maryland
POSITION: SS
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-11/185 pounds
B/T: R/R
D.O.B.: 11/6/2001
PREVIOUSLY DRAFTED: Never
Scouting Report
Matt Shaw wasn’t drafted in 2020 after attending Worcester Academy in Worcester, Massachusetts for high school. The school is the oldest educational institution originally founded in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1834.
The co-educational preparatory school houses over 500 students annually. The Brimfield, Massachusetts native was ranked as the No. 500 overall player in the country coming out of high school according to Perfect Game. He’s gone on to become one of the best players in college baseball for the Maryland Terrapins and was recently named B1G Player of the Year.
You see this catch B1G POY Matt Shaw made last night? 😲@TerpsBaseball x @B1Gbaseball pic.twitter.com/CoucMwHkoe
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) May 24, 2023
Shaw is one of the best hitters in a stellar college class and his positional versatility makes him even more appealing for clubs picking in the top half of the first round. He’s looking to become the highest position player drafted out of Maryland as Brandon Lowe and Kevin Smith have gone in the third and fourth rounds respectively over the last decade. Shaw is ranked as the 18th overall draft prospect in the class at MLB Pipeline.
The infielder doesn’t strike out much and he walks often. He makes consistent hard contact and drives the baseball to all fields, possessing good exit velocity numbers as well. Over the past two seasons, the right-handed hitter has clubbed 45 homers while playing shortstop, second base, third base and moonlighting in the outfield at times. Shaw has shown consistent opposite field power while displaying plus run times. He’s a legitimate stolen base threat and he’s very versatile but teams will be drafting the potential of the bat.
At Baseball America, Matt Shaw is ranked as the No. 17 overall player in the 2023 Draft class. The publication has called him a “highly competitive middle infielder” and they note that many scouts have projected his ultimate defensive home at second base. At the dish, the 21-year-old shows a closed off batting stance with a large leg kick that has allowed him to create all fields power. The profile also states that Shaw’s approach can get too aggressive at times with swings and misses on elevated fastballs.
Shaw was excellent in the Cape Cod League last summer playing with the Bourne Braves. In ten games, the infielder hit .333/.421/.485 with just a 5% strikeout rate. In 33 at bats, he pumped out 11 hits. The B1G Player of the Year played for the Worcester Bravehearts in 2020 and 2021 in the Futures League as well where he smacked eight homers in 14 games.
As a junior at Maryland, Shaw has hit .355/.463/.731 with 23 homers. He has produced a 13% strikeout rate with a 15% walk rate. During 60 games in 2022, the infielder hit .290/.381/.604 with a .986 OPS. He smashed 22 homers while sporting a 12% walk rate as a sophomore. In his freshman season back in 2021, the Terp hit .332/.408/.543 with seven homers in 45 games.
Matt Shaw celebrates his Big Ten POY award from earlier today by smoking a double to the opposite field gap, after a pair of sac flies @TerpsBaseball jumps on top 2-1 after 1 pic.twitter.com/WipWY8Ef2w
— Patrick Ebert (@PatrickEbert44) May 23, 2023
Why Would The White Sox Draft Matt Shaw?
The White Sox would draft Matt Shaw as a versatile offensive performer who should stay on the dirt long-term. He should also move through the system quickly which shouldn’t be a prerequisite but is definitely a factor. He is an up-the-middle college hitter with above-average power and wood bat success. Players like this are valuable.
The franchise hasn’t started a regular second baseman who has accumulated a two WAR in a season since Tadahito Iguchi accomplished the feat in 2006. The position has been a landfill for the organization. Teams don’t typically draft for need in regards to the current status of the big league club but organizations can’t go wrong consistently selecting middle infielders with offensive prowess.
As a slot value team, Matt Shaw also fits in financially with the No. 15 overall pick. The pick would allow the front office to make over-slot gambles later and throughout the draft as well. Mike Shirley is making his fourth first round selection as scouting director in Chicago and he’s heavily focused on elite upside to this point. He’s hit every demographic other than college position player and with a deep group this year, that could definitely change in 2023.
Shaw would immediately become one of the best prospects in the White Sox’s farm system. He could move very quickly and turn up in Chicago as early as 2025 as the potential long-term answer at second base that the franchise has been searching for over the course of the last decade.
Mock Draft Outcomes
In the first mock draft from Keith Law at The Athletic, the veteran evaluator sent Matt Shaw to the Chicago Cubs at #13 overall. Law added that the 21-year-old is one of the “best pure hitters with metrics to match” in the class. In the first attempt from Jonathan Mayo at MLB Pipeline, the draft analyst mocked Matt Shaw to the Boston Red Sox at #14 overall. Mayo noted that the infielder has smacked 45 homers over the last two years while focusing on his Cape League success as well.
Why Matt Shaw will be a first-round @MLB draft pick ⬇️😱@TerpsBaseball x @B1Gbaseball pic.twitter.com/eivjftFCnn
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) May 27, 2023
As for Mayo’s counterpart at MLB.com, Jim Callis has released his initial projection as well. Callis projected Shaw to the San Francisco Giants at $16 overall and even made an interesting comparison to Ian Happ. The staff at Baseball America recently published a mock draft based on what they’d do as well and JJ Cooper projected Shaw to the Red Sox at #14 overall. However, Carlos Collazo projected Shaw to the Milwaukee Brewers at #18 overall in Mock Draft 2.0 and noted that he could end up closer to #10 overall. Kiley McDaniel’s initial projection at ESPN sends Matt Shaw to the Miami Marlins with the 10th pick.
I for sure thought Alexei in 2008 had at least 2 WAR, but nope. Insane.
I for sure thought Alexei in 2008 had at least 2 WAR, but nope. Insane.
Hahn and KW look at each other to utter “versatile?…ughhh, we don’t do versatile in this organization”
They do versatile, they just don’t do a good version of it (Leury, Romy, GOK, etc.).
Hahn and KW look at each other to utter “versatile?…ughhh, we don’t do versatile in this organization”
They do versatile, they just don’t do a good version of it (Leury, Romy, GOK, etc.).
Is 2B where he is likely to end up? And don’t the Sox have long term possibilities there (Sosa, Rodriguez, Ramos)? I would like to see them get someone who could definitely stick at SS and profiles well there, especially if Montgomery is not a sure thing to stick at the position.
I believe that Colson Montgomery will be the shortstop and the White Sox think so too
Maybe, but I question anything the Sox think. And we have not had a look at him at all this season, nor know if the back will have a long-term effect
Is 2B where he is likely to end up? And don’t the Sox have long term possibilities there (Sosa, Rodriguez, Ramos)? I would like to see them get someone who could definitely stick at SS and profiles well there, especially if Montgomery is not a sure thing to stick at the position.
I believe that Colson Montgomery will be the shortstop and the White Sox think so too
Maybe, but I question anything the Sox think. And we have not had a look at him at all this season, nor know if the back will have a long-term effect
What is his fielding like?
Average defender
Is it reasonable to think he could stick at short with a plus bat if Montgomery moves to third or is traded or never recovers from his back injury?
Shaw is more likely to move elsewhere than stay at shortstop
Thanks.
What is his fielding like?
Average defender
Is it reasonable to think he could stick at short with a plus bat if Montgomery moves to third or is traded or never recovers from his back injury?
Shaw is more likely to move elsewhere than stay at shortstop
Thanks.
Hi James, 2 questions, if Shaw was off the board at 15, how would you feel about Stanford’s Tommy Troy? Although, Shaw definitely has more pop, the 2 have similar stat lines this season, as well as both performed well on the Cape last summer. Troy may also provide more positional flexibility even though I’m guessing both end up at 2nd long term. Also, I saw you tweet about Kiley’s mock of Colin Houck to the Sox today. He definitely got a boost on MLB Pipeline’s updated rankings today. I’m sure you or Josh will be profiling Houck soon. How do you think he compares to Aidan Miller? I know Kiley mentioned Miller is close to resuming play after his broken hamate. Both look to profile at 3rd long term and are 12(Miller) and 14(Houck) on Pipeline’s new ranking.
I might actually prefer Tommy Troy to Shaw if they went the college route. Houck probably plays shortstop initially and ultimately moves to third base. Miller could end up at first base. Either guy is a worthy gamble thought at 15.
Thanks James!
Hi James, 2 questions, if Shaw was off the board at 15, how would you feel about Stanford’s Tommy Troy? Although, Shaw definitely has more pop, the 2 have similar stat lines this season, as well as both performed well on the Cape last summer. Troy may also provide more positional flexibility even though I’m guessing both end up at 2nd long term. Also, I saw you tweet about Kiley’s mock of Colin Houck to the Sox today. He definitely got a boost on MLB Pipeline’s updated rankings today. I’m sure you or Josh will be profiling Houck soon. How do you think he compares to Aidan Miller? I know Kiley mentioned Miller is close to resuming play after his broken hamate. Both look to profile at 3rd long term and are 12(Miller) and 14(Houck) on Pipeline’s new ranking.
I might actually prefer Tommy Troy to Shaw if they went the college route. Houck probably plays shortstop initially and ultimately moves to third base. Miller could end up at first base. Either guy is a worthy gamble thought at 15.
Thanks James!
Looking back at that 13-20ish slot range in previous drafts I see some pretty solid college SS to 2B picks, enough that it looks like a fruitful path to go down. We could really use pitching but it’d be nice to finally have something for that spot.
But can they play first base? That’s the important question.
Looking back at that 13-20ish slot range in previous drafts I see some pretty solid college SS to 2B picks, enough that it looks like a fruitful path to go down. We could really use pitching but it’d be nice to finally have something for that spot.
But can they play first base? That’s the important question.