This week’s World Baseball Network Minor League Player of the Week is Cubs prospect Matt Shaw. The second baseman batted .462 over his last six games, including five multi-hit games and three home runs. Shaw saved his best performance of the week for Sunday, turning in his first four-hit game of the season and blasting a second-inning homer.
Matt Shaw goes deep AGAIN — his third homer in his past 12 at-bats!
The @Cubs' top prospect (MLB No. 22) raises his OPS to .918 for the Triple-A @IowaCubs. pic.twitter.com/YXPmc3z0JB
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 15, 2024
A 2023 first-round pick and former Cape Cod Baseball League MVP, Shaw quickly adjusted to big-league ball last season when he batted .357 across three levels. Shaw got off to a slow start this season at Double-A Tennessee, batting just .190 through his first 27 games. The underlying numbers, which included 20 walks against just 24 strikeouts, pointed to better days ahead for Shaw, and sure enough, he would bat .311/.378/.520 with 11 home runs over his next 59 games in route to earning an early August promotion to Triple-A Iowa. The improved competition hasn’t slowed Shaw down, as he’s already homered seven times in 29 games to go along with a .296 average.
Shaw, who is MLB.com’s 22nd-ranked prospect, is the headliner of one of the best minor league teams in the game. The Iowa Cubs possess a whopping six top-100 prospects, including five members of their everyday lineup. The future looks bright in Chicago, and Matt Shaw is at the center of it all.
Honorable Mentions:
Johnathan Rodriguez, Outfielder, Columbus Clippers
The Guardians prospect was named International Prospect of the Week after hitting .480 with four home runs and 9 RBI over his previous six games. He saved his best performance for the weekend, as he homered in each of his last three games with a combined 8 RBI. Rodriguez, ranked 14th in the Guardians system by MLB Pipeline, is hitting .302/.389/.547 with 28 home runs and 92 RBI in 112 games with Columbus. Though he hit just .129 in a brief 13-game call-up earlier this season, Rodriguez is making a strong case to get another chance as the Guardians continue their postseason push.
Abimelec Ortiz, First Baseman, Frisco Rough Riders
The Rangers prospect won Texas League Player of the Week in large part due to one of the best single-game performances in all of Minor League Baseball this season. After homering twice in Friday’s game, Ortiz went 5-for-6 with two more home runs and five RBI in Saturday’s 18-1 victory over the Amarillo Sod Poodles. After hitting 33 home runs last year, Ortiz got off to a slow start in his first taste of Double-A but has turned it on over the last month. Since August 9, the 22-year-old is batting .364/.470/.700 with 10 HR and 30 RBI. Ortiz is currently not ranked in MLB Pipelines Top 30 Rangers Prospect, but he is making a strong case to join the list before the start of next season.
Jason Alexander, SP, Worcester Red Sox
The Red Sox prospect turned in the best performance of the season, allowing just two baserunners over seven scoreless innings while striking out a career-high 11 batters. The 31-year-old right-hander has turned in a consistent and durable campaign, tossing a career-high 127 innings and striking out a career-high 123 batters. With the Red Sox slipping out of contention, Alexander could be an option for his first MLB appearance since 2022.
George Klassen, SP, Rocket City Trash Pandas
The Angels prospect took home Southern League Pitcher of the Week after firing six no-hit innings and striking out a career-high 12 batters in an 8-0 victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts. The 22-year-old right-hander broke out this season with a 0.71 ERA in nine Single-A starts and was traded to the Angels in the Carlos Estevez deal. In seven starts with Double-A Rocket City, Klassen has posted a 5.65 ERA but has struck out 36 batters in 26.2 innings. With an upper-90’s fastball and an improved breaking ball, Klassen has some of the best pure stuff of any Angels prospect and could move through the system quickly.
Photo Credit: Matt Shaw of the Chicago Cubs runs the bases during a training game as part of the 2024 Chicago Cubs Spring Training at Sloan Park on February 27, 2024 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)
