Matt Shaw Already Doing Outfield Work in Mesa
Both Jed Hoyer and Craig Counsell said during CubsCon that Matt Shaw would see time in the outfield after being pushed into a utility role by Alex Bregman, citing Javier Báez and Kris Bryant as examples of how it can work. Shaw himself was surprisingly candid when addressing the new role with reporters over the weekend, acknowledging that he was a little anxious about it.
“They’ve been transparent with me, just kinda helping me to understand the role, moving to different positions, giving guys an off day here and there,” Shaw said. “And I’m pretty excited about it. I’ve played a lot of outfield in my life, so I’ll play some outfield; probably back up at a couple different positions in the infield.”
Even before the Cubs spoke about it publicly, it was pretty obvious that Shaw was going to have to expand his positional versatility in order to carve out enough playing time to let his bat develop. During the 2016 season, El Mago got 383 innings at second base, 370.2 at third, 194 at short, 21 at first, and 2.1 in the outfield with 18 plate appearances as a pinch-hitter. Bryant spent over 450 innings in the grass during the 2016 season despite only logging 98 innings there as a rookie.
Without making a direct comparison between Shaw and Bryant, it’s safe to say that moving around the diamond isn’t necessarily detrimental to a player’s growth at the big league level. I mean, KB was named Rookie of the Year and MVP while playing 5-6 different positions in those respective seasons. We’ve already seen how that kind of depth has helped the Cubs, but some might have questioned whether it was just a ploy to raise Shaw’s trade value.
After all, the Red Sox are actively seeking infield help and have a pitching surplus from which they can deal. Though the Cubs are certainly going to listen if a team calls about pretty much any of their players, talking about Shaw getting outfield reps isn’t just a marketing ploy. As evidence, he’s already working on his new position(s) out at the team’s Mesa facilities.
After batting practice, Matt Shaw took outfield reps. Good reaction time from crack of bat, one depth judgment misread on a fly ball at him, but great acceleration going back and forward. Lots of torque and horsepower in his running. VIDEO. pic.twitter.com/qP6NQ2XWon
— John Antonoff (@baseballinfocus) January 21, 2026
How much you wanna bet there are a few high school and college coaches out there fuming about Shaw not wearing a hat or baseball pants during this voluntary workout? Nothing better than dudes whose egos get in the way of their leadership and development. Anywho…
As things currently stand, the Cubs’ bench consists of Shaw, Miguel Amaya, Kevin Alcántara, and Tyler Austin. Amaya has only ever played catcher above the Double-A level, so he’s probably not dusting off the first base mitt he used for a little over 304 innings from 2016-23. Austin logged 811 innings in right field for NPB’s Yokohama BayStars in 2021, but hasn’t played anything other than first since. Alcantara has only played in the outfield.
That means Shaw is the first choice off the bench to back up three infield positions — understanding that Hoerner is the primary overall option to spell shortstop — and the second choice in the outfield. Between injuries and rest days for veterans, it’s pretty easy to see him getting at least the same 450 plate appearances as Báez earned during 2016. And with Hoerner’s possible departure in free agency after this season, it’s entirely possible that Shaw’s utility role is short-lived.
Hoyer is going to do what he feels is best for the organization for both 2026 and future seasons, whether that means trading Shaw for pitching or keeping him as a dynamic depth piece. All we know for sure is that keeping in Chicago this season means he’ll be playing all over the field.
