When Is Matt Shaw Getting Called Up? Fantasy Baseball Prospect Outlook (Week 7 Update)

May 16, 2025

When is Matt Shaw getting called up? Will Shaw get promoted in May 2025? Read about this top fantasy baseball prospect outlook heading into Week 7.

No one was surprised when third baseman Matt Shaw made the Cubs' Opening Day roster. Chicago's top prospect showed his potential all throughout his minor league career, and there wasn't really anything left for him to prove down in Triple-A. MLB Pipeline's No. 18 overall prospect hit .298 with seven home runs, 21 RBI, and six stolen bases in 35 games at Triple-A Iowa last season. 

However, Shaw wasn't quite ready for the big leagues just yet. He struggled in his first 18 major league games, hitting just .172 with one home run, three RBI, and 18 strikeouts. That led to his demotion back down to Triple-A Iowa in the middle of April. 

So, when are the Cubs going to call up Shaw again? Can we expect him back in the majors within the next few weeks? Let's dive in and find out. 

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Matt Shaw Prospect Update for Fantasy Baseball

The Cubs' decision to option Shaw back to Triple-A last month was necessary. He wasn't making hard contact at the plate, and his struggles started to mount. In his first 18 major league games, the 23-year-old had a 2.5% barrel rate, 22.5% hard-hit rate, 19.3% squared-up rate, and a 26.5% strikeout rate. All four of those numbers ranked in the bottom half of the league. 

Nevertheless, he should find his way back on the major league roster very soon. The Cubs' top prospect continues to put up strong numbers at Triple-A Iowa this season. He is currently slashing .284/.408/.519 with four home runs, 11 RBI, 15 walks, and five stolen bases in 22 games. Shaw also became the first player on Thursday to hit both a leadoff home run and a walk-off home run in the same game since 2010. 

No MLB player has hit both a leadoff and walk-off homer in the same game since 2010.

But #Cubs top-ranked prospect Matt Shaw (MLB No. 18) notched the feat amidst a hot stretch at Triple-A: https://t.co/EZBEqXvonI pic.twitter.com/B94uxEBx1O

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 16, 2025

As a result, it's only a matter of time until Shaw is called up again by the Cubs. With Chicago not getting much production from its current third base group (Jon Berti, Nicky Lopez, and Vidal Brujan), there is a chance he could be promoted as early as next week. 

Matt Shaw Outlook for Fantasy Baseball

With a return to the majors looming for Shaw, he is a worthy player to stash in most 12-team leagues. Although he struggled in his first go-around with the Cubs, things could be different in his second stint. The 23-year-old already showed some patience in his first 18 career games with a 14.7% walk rate, and his 28.8 ft/sec sprint speed could help him steal upward of 15 bases in 2025. 

2nd homer in the past 3 days for @Cubs top-ranked prospect Matt Shaw 🔥

The 13th overall pick in the 2023 Draft ups his Triple-A @IowaCubs OBP to .402 in 21 contests: pic.twitter.com/Hcs8q4TQqs

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 15, 2025

That means fantasy managers should start picking him up. He is knocking on the door of a promotion and should see an everyday role when he is called up. Given that the Cubs currently rank tied for second in runs per game (5.55), Shaw could turn out to be a solid fantasy option for the rest of the season. 

Top Prospect Rankings and Call-Up ETAs

You can also check out the rest of RotoBaller's fantasy baseball prospect rankings. Eric Cross updates the below rankings weekly for the top impact prospects for 2025, and when they may be called up:

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