"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."
"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."
Matt Shaw will see time in the outfield and serve as a utility infielder, with the Cubs giving him reps at multiple positions to increase playing opportunities. Shaw acknowledged feeling a little anxious but said the team has been transparent while helping him understand the role and adjust to different positions. Examples such as Javier Báez and Kris Bryant show that moving around the diamond need not hinder development; Bryant logged significant outfield innings while earning Rookie of the Year and MVP honors. The Red Sox's interest in infield help has prompted trade speculation, but the Cubs maintain that outfield reps are not merely a marketing ploy.
Read at Cubsinsider
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]