Cade Horton, Matt Shaw Cementing Themselves as Cubs Cornerstones
Jed Hoyer has at least two reasons to be feeling good about the Cubs’ future. When Hoyer was promoted to president of baseball operations, there was no question he’d be marked with a handful of tough calls, including tearing down the old core and rebuilding the roster. With that came an opportunity for the Cubs to once again try their hand at the top half of the draft. Two of those first-round picks have already begun creating a name for themselves at the major league level.
Right-handed pitcher Cade Horton (seventh overall pick in 2022) and infielder Matt Shaw (13th overall in 2023) have grown into their roles while cementing themselves as cornerstones of the future.
Shaw began his pro career at the plate rather slowly after earning a spot on the Opening Day roster out of camp. The Maryland product struggled with his timing and plate approach and was sent down to Triple-A in Iowa during April. Upon returning to the team on May 19, the 23-year-old posted a .906 OPS through the month before falling back to earth in June. He ended the first half with a .556 OPS and a .198 over 232 plate appearances.
After taking some time away from baseball during the All-Star break, Shaw made adjustments to his swing mechanics and started swinging a torpedo bat. Standing taller with a more open stance allowed him to make better use of his body’s movement patterns, and the results have been obvious. Shaw has been the team’s best hitter in the second half, boasting a .654 slugging percentage and .984 OPS since the break.
While Shaw’s bat was finding its stride, Horton continued to improve his game while in the majors. Horton made his debut on May 10 against the Mets, displaying plenty of promise with signs that he was nowhere near a finished product. Horton owned a 3.98 ERA across his first four starts, but his production dipped in June as he struggled with command.
Following a rough stretch that included giving up seven runs to the Astros on June 27, Horton quickly turned things around and now finds himself firmly in the NL Rookie of the Year conversation. In seven starts since the break, his .049 ERA leads MLB by a wide margin and his .078 WHIP is second to only Nick Pivetta (0.75). Horton has not allowed more than one run in a start since July 9 against the Twins.
These two rookies have combined for 2.7 fWAR on the season, a number that looks a little more impressive when you consider the time they spent in the minors. Also, Shaw was at -0.1 fWAR in the first half. Both are at least 11 months shy of turning 25 and appear to be staples of the Cubs’ future, giving fans something to be hopeful about even as current circumstances create a little discontent.
Continuing to produce homegrown talent should give the front office more flexibility to build a more consistent contender moving forward as well.
