What a first season in professional ball for Matt Shaw.

He was the Cubs’ 1st-round pick (No. 13 overall) last summer and marched his way to Double-A to end 2023.

He began this season in Double-A Tennessee again but earned a promotion mid-year to Triple-A, where he has been stellar.

For his effort, Shaw was named the Cubs’ Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America.

Shaw, who turns 23 in November, was ranked as the No. 31 prospect in the game by Baseball America coming into the season.

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In 121 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Shaw has hit .284/.379/.488 (.867 OPS) with 21 homers, 31 stolen bases, 71 RBI and 78 runs.

He has also played all over the infield with 63 starts at third base, 24 at second and 24 at shortstop while also starting 9 games at DH.

Shaw has potentially played his way into the equation on the 2025 big-league roster, though the Cubs currently have a crowded infield with Michael Busch (1B), Nico Hoerner (2B), Dansby Swanson (SS) and Isaac Paredes (3B) all under contract for the next several seasons.

If Cody Bellinger opts back into his contract and returns to the Cubs, the pathway to playing time is further complicated. Bellinger would play the outfield, meaning Suzuki would likely man the DH spot on a regular basis. A bench role with limited playing time — a la Patrick wisdom — wouldn’t benefit Shaw or the Cubs, either.