The Potential of Pete Crow-Armstrong
During the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline, the Chicago Cubs said goodbye to a fan favorite, Javier Baez. That was a move many fans were sad about, but those same people would make it one hundred times out of one hundred now.
That is because in that trade, the Cubs acquired Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Fast forward around four years later, and PCA is one of the biggest stars in the MLB. In 2025, Crow-Armstrong hit thirty-one homers and swiped thirty-five bases as well. Fans marveled at his ability to do everything well; he could hit for average, hit for power, field exceptionally well, and run the bases like a veteran.
Arguably, the most impressive aspect of his early success in the big leagues was that he was only twenty-three years old in 2025 when he was selected to his first All-Star game and won his first Gold Glove Award for his jaw-dropping playmaking ability in center field. People around the sport of baseball wondered what a young player with so much promise could become, and it would be nothing short of historic.
Pete Crow-Armstrong can become a Hall of Fame Center Fielder and be known as one of the best defensive players ever to play baseball.
In the current season, PCA has gotten off to a relatively slow start at the plate, but the same cannot be said for his play defensively. Crow-Armstrong currently has ten Outs Above Average, which ranks first in the National League. Various statistics suggest the value that Crow-Armstrong has in the field, but that doesn’t truly depict the impact he has. Watching him play is when you can truly appreciate his defensive prowess.
Whether he is throwing runners out, making diving catches, or even hyping up fans in the bleachers, Pete can do it all.
Something that often gets lost in the shuffle with Crow-Armstrong is how he can make so many plays seem routine when, in reality, they are not. That is an underappreciated part of his game in center field.
While PCA has historically displayed good outfielding ability, his offensive game is where his potential comes into play.
He has shown he can be the best defensive player in the world, but he often lacks consistency at the plate. In his tenure in the Major Leagues, Crow-Armstrong has been known to be streaky offensively and has struggled with swinging at balls outside of the zone. With that in mind, everyone knows the skill set is there. He has put up monster numbers before, and it is only going to get better.
As time goes along, Pete Crow-Armstrong will find more consistency at the plate. On top of that, his defensive game will get better, if that’s even possible.
Having the success he has had in this league at such a young age is so rare. He is already a once-in-a-generation defender, and as he has shown, he can hit thirty home runs in a season.
Now that the Cubs reached an extension with him earlier this year, Cubs fans will be able to watch Crow-Armstrong patrol the outfield for years to come.
Watching him develop and flourish in this league will be something baseball fans remember for a long time—enjoy it!
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Categorized:Cubs