@yo' @DavidCarlisle @UlrikeFischer MWE:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{matrix}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\matrix[
matrix of nodes,
nodes in empty cells = true,
row sep={\the\baselineskip},
]{
a & b\\
c & d\\
e & f\\
};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}