Why the ‘worst-case scenario’ for Pete Crow-Armstrong is still elite originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Pete Crow-Armstrong came to the Chicago Cubs as part of the 2021 trade that dealt Javier Baez and Trevor Williams to the New York Mets. After that, it would not take the exciting outfielder long to rise through the minors.

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After making his MLB debut late into the 2023 season, he would become a mainstay in the lineup after Cody Bellinger went down with an injury during the 2024 season, playing in 123 games.

With a full offseason to prepare for his role in the big leagues, PCA was elite last season. Across 157 games, he hit .247/.287/.481 with 37 doubles, 31 home runs, 95 runs batted in, and 35 stolen bases. That was good enough for his first All-Star selection and his first Gold Glove Award.

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Why the ‘worst-case scenario’ for Pete Crow-Armstrong is still elite

Pete Crow-Armstrong became the first Cubs player to record a 30/30 season since Sammy Sosa did it back in 1995. He even did so while he hit a bit of a rocky patch offensively during the second half of the season.

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He was dealing with a few different injuries during the course of the second half, so that could have played a role. Either way, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter is big on PCA, explaining that even during a bad year, he could have All-Star potential.

“The fact that he was a 6.0-WAR player even with a .634 OPS during the second half and a paltry 4.5 percent walk rate speaks to just how high his ceiling could be with further refinement. In the worst-case scenario, he’s a perennial Gold Glove winner and a 20/20 threat, and that’s a fantastic floor for a player who will turn 24 on Opening Day.”

Just from his speed and glove alone, he is a top outfield candidate. Now throw in a full season of him staying healthy and raking at the plate, and there’s no telling how far he can take the Cubs.

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