![\"Mar](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/be85141f8545a19b702dabe4708a2f42.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Mar 31, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Chicago Cubs second base Matt Shaw (6) before the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Both games were scheduled to go seven innings. Shaw, ranked the No. 1 prospect in the entire organization, according to MLB Pipeline, ended the second game in extra innings with his second home run of the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a long day,\u201d Shaw said. \u201cSo, it\u2019s good to try to continue to put together good at-bats even after we\u2019re playing baseball for about six and a half hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
Thursday\u2019s performance was a huge step in the right direction for Shaw. The 23-year-old first-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2023 began the season in the majors but was sent back to Iowa in April after hitting just .172 with 18 strikeouts in 18 games. Shaw\u2019s goal during the demotion: Get his timing back at the plate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat means a little bit different for everybody,\u201d Shaw said. \u201cSo, for me, it just means getting back on top of the baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shaw believes he began doing that during Iowa\u2019s recent road trip to Toledo. During the team\u2019s May 9 game, Shaw had two hits including a triple and a homer. Four days later, he homered again in Des Moines against the Saints. On May 14, Shaw picked up two more hits in a game.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt kind of clicked right away,\u201d Shaw said. \u201cIt felt great. And I\u2019ve just been consistent since then.”<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
It shows. Shaw delivered one of the best performances of his season Thursday. After going 1-for-3 with a walk in the first game of Iowa\u2019s doubleheader, Shaw broke through with a huge Game 2. He led off the bottom of the first inning by going the other way with a fastball and hitting it 368 feet to right field for a home run.<\/p>\n
Shaw wasn\u2019t done though. After Strumpf smashed a game-tying two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning, Shaw stepped to the plate. He smacked the first pitch he saw, a changeup at 82.5 mph, to center field for a home run. The ball rocketed off Shaw\u2019s bat at 102.5 mph.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously those are great days and you have a lot of days that are you\u2019re just grinding through and putting together good at-bats,\u201d Shaw said. \u201cSo, it\u2019s really nice to have one of those days where everything kind of falls into place and you get a couple of home runs and you have a good day.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hope is that there are even more good days at the plate for Shaw, who has now hit safety in his last four contests and six out of his last seven games. The recent run of success has bumped Shaw\u2019s average up to .284 with a .927 OPS with Iowa. It has fans once again clamoring for Shaw to return to the big leagues.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels good to be in a position where I feel confident and ready for when that comes because defensively, on the bases and all that stuff, I feel like it\u2019s coming together really well,\u201d Shaw said.<\/p>\n
When the call comes, Shaw said he feels like he\u2019ll deliver at the plate this time around for the Cubs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just feel like I\u2019m back to being myself, being confident and understanding what I have to do to be successful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel ready which is really good. I think whenever I get the opportunity, I\u2019m in a good place, mentally and physically. So, just stay consistent in the meantime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468<\/p>\n