Cubs’ Matt Shaw makes case for call-up with two-homer day in minors
Matt Shaw continues to compile his case for a return to Chicago.
The Cubs No.1 prospect had a huge day in Triple-A Iowa Thursday, opening and closing the game with home runs, as Iowa completed a late comeback to sweep a doubleheader against St. Paul.
Shaw walked the game off with a bottom of the eighth inning home run against Twins farmhand Brady Feigl, ambushing the first pitch he saw and depositing it over the center field fence.
Shaw also started the game with a home run, taking a two-strike pitch from Darren McCaughan and launching it the opposite way over the right field fence.
Shaw’s home runs capped a wild comeback for Iowa, who trailed 5-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh (minor league doubleheaders are seven innings long). Cubs No. 4 prospect Owen Caissie started the rally with a double and came in to score on Jonathon Long’s double.
Former Blue Jay backstop Reese McGuire cut the deficit to one on a two-run home run, before pinch-hitter Carlos Perez — down to his final strike — sent a solo homer over the center field fence to tie the game at five.
St. Paul scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning, before a Chase Strumpf two-run homer tied the game at seven and set up Shaw for his walk-off moment.
Shaw, 23, raised his slashline up to .284/.408/.927 with the 2-for-4 game at the plate. The University of Maryland product was 1-for-3 with a walk in Game 1 of the doubleheader and has four home runs, five stolen bases, five doubles, 18 runs scored and 15 walks compared to just 10 strikeouts in 22 games for the I-Cubs.
Shaw began the year with the big-league team in Tokyo as the Cubs opening day third baseman but was optioned back to Triple-A Iowa on April 15 after hitting just .172 in 18 games with Chicago.
However, after starting his time in Des Moines with a 1-for-17 slide, the former first round pick has been red-hot for Iowa, and with the Cubs still looking for answers at third base, Shaw is making his case loud and clear for why he should get another chance at the hot corner in Chicago.