The Chicago Cubs have called up 2026 breakout prospect Pedro Ramirez prior to Friday’s series opener against the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field. Infielder/outfielder Matt Shaw has been placed on the 10-day injured list with back tightness.
Shaw, now in his second year MLB season, has taken a back seat to Alex Bregman at third base, but the right-handed hitter has still played in 42 games to begin the year. In 104 plate appearances, Shaw has slashed .242/.291/.400 with three home runs. Following a hot start to the season in which Shaw posted a 138 wRC+ through April, the versatile defender has been a non-factor in May. Shaw is only 1-for-22, with one walk and a HBP in 24 plate appearances in May.
As for Ramirez, the switch-hitting infielder has recently gotten some action in the outfield. We’ll see how much Craig Counsell actually uses Ramirez as the Cubs’ manager continues to stick with the veterans through the team-wide slump. Another note on Ramirez, he hasn’t played since May 17, missing a handful of Triple-A games with the Iowa Cubs because of an illness.
In 43 games at Triple-A this season, Ramirez has recorded a slash line of .312/.395/.547. He’s already set a new career high in home runs with nine.
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The 22-year-old won Player of the Month in April in the International League.
So far in May, Ramirez has continued to hit, slashing .322/.414/.441 in 15 games with a home run and four doubles while driving in nine runs. He’s kept up an above-average walk rate in 2026 at 10.7%, while also keeping the strikeouts in check at 16.3 K%.
Ramirez has primarily started at third base in Triple-A so far in 2026, but he’s also logged 15 starts at second base and one in left field.
Seeing as Ramirez is replacing Shaw, a bench player, it’s unlikely he’ll get many starts in the next couple of weeks. However, Ramirez can step into the field with no issues off the bench, and he does provide Counsell a bit more flexibility as a pinch-hit option, as Ramirez is a switch-hitter.
