It turns out the Big Ten Player of the Year award wouldn’t be the last honor for Matt Shaw after he was named the Brooks Wallace Award recipient on Wednesday, awarded to the nation’s most outstanding shortstop.
The Brooks Wallace award has been handed out by the College Baseball Foundation annually to the top shortstop in college baseball since 2009. Some past winners are MLB stars such as Trea Turner, Alex Bregman, and Dansby Swanson. Shaw will now join the list while breaking a two-year streak of the award being given to an underclassman.
“What an incredible shortstop and an even better person this young man is that we have selected this year,” said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. “We are so proud to have Matt represent Brooks’ award and are excited to have him join the Wallace family. The glove and power that he showed this year to go along with the humble young man he obviously is.
Defensively, Shaw finished the season with a fielding percentage of .974 with 101 putouts and 194 assists this season. Shaw was also a part of 28 double plays this season while only committing eight errors.
Offensively, Shaw finished this season with career highs in almost every statistical category batting with a batting average of .341, while also hitting 24 home runs and driving in 69 runs. Shaw finished the season tied for first in at-bats in a season, as well as second for most home runs, runs scored, and extra-base hits in a season. A two-time All-Big Ten selection, Shaw was also among the finalists for the Golden Spikes award, the lone player nominated to both prestigious honors.
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Shaw is expected to hear his name early in the 2023 MLB Draft, set to begin on July 9. CBS Sports rates Shaw as the 11th-best overall prospect.
Shaw is one of several collegiate infielders likely to come off the board in the teens. He’s a well-rounded player who walked more than he struck out this season while also setting new career-highs in home runs and stolen bases. The determinant on when he goes will be his expected position. A few scouts have expressed to CBS Sports the belief that he should at least begin his career at shortstop, but there’s a camp who believes his arm is too light for the left side. Even if Shaw ends up at second base, his collection of average or better offensive tools should make him appealing
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