PCA is the subject of today’s profile. He can mean everything to the team, if he’s going in the right direction.
Pete Crow-Armstrong will turn 23 on March 25. He’ll be starting his second year in the bigs, where he most assuredly belongs. He came to the Cubs in the Javier Baez trade, and I bet you dollars to donuts that the Mets would rescind that deal. Trevor Williams was also involved in that trade, going to New York for the rest of that year.
Pete, or PCA as he is generally known, has a flair for the dramatic. He arrives at camp with a new hairdo, ready to go. He seems to be one of those guys who has only two speeds — all out and complete stop.
So far he had managed to do battle with the bricks behind the ivy. Let’s hope it continues that way. Here’s PCA talking preparation [VIDEO].
Pete covers the outfield like Sherwin-Williams covers the world. It’s ironic that he was traded for Baez, who is a role model for PCA — who is maybe the only other player that could steal first base like Javy did so, famously, in a game against the Pirates. He has that kind of speed and disruptive ability. Once he learns to manage the strike zone, Pete’s going to be the leadoff man, but for now he’s in a spot where he can develop his power and practice hitting line all over the lot and the occasional dinger. Here he discusses the team’s prospects [VIDEO].
In 2024, PCA boasted a slash line of .237/.286/.384, and accumulated 2.3 bWAR (2.7 fWAR). There’s tremendous opportunity for improvement, and honestly, I expect a lot of it. If PCA can hit .250 and increase his on-base percentage to an even .300, that would be huge. The OBP still needs to come up quite a bit further if he’s going to lead off — he might as well settle in run-production mode and act like a leadoff man for the back end of the lineup. Ballesteros can use the help that someone like PCA gives him, and Matt Shaw would benefit from people on base in front of him and from the imposing bats coming afterward. More like this inside-the-park homer would be nice [VIDEO].
ZIPS has PCA as a .239/.301/.412 slasher and gives him 15 home runs and 77 RBI, good for 3.1 fWAR. Let’s round those off to .240/.300/.410, 15/80, and 3.1 bWAR (3.5 fWAR). He’s going to steal 30 bags.
His defense is going to earn a couple of WAR right off the bat. If he can learn more patience and contact skills, he’s going to be an All-Star. I think he can get there and I am right there for it.
His floor is probably Felix Pie. Still a useful player. His ceiling is unknown. Every year could be a career year for this guy. He could keep on getting better for a while — and it’s hard to bet against him. He’s another diamond rat and winters near the Cubs spring training facilities.
As always, thanks for reading. Feel free to discuss among yourselves.