Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is developing into the star that the organization and fans had hoped for for years.
The 23-year-old, now in his second full campaign with the Cubs, is already well on his way to smashing his rookie numbers and looks like a franchise cornerstone.
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Through 35 games and 136 at-bats, Crow-Armstrong is batting .272 with a .867 OPS and a 140 OPS+. He also has nine home runs, 26 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases on 14 attempts. If there is a knock on his hitting, it is a 30-to-six strikeouts-to-walks ratio, which troubled him last year, too.
However, with Crow-Armstrong’s incredible speed on the bags and in the outfield, a knack for navigating even the unlikeliest of fly balls, and far improved slugging lines, there is no reason he can not make his first of many All-Star Games this summer.
Former 17-year MLB veteran and one-year Cub Cliff Floyd had this to say on Crow-Armstrong’s breakout, via 670 The Score:
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) waves to the fans before a game against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field.David Banks-Imagn Images
“My man let his personality show come spring training… the blonde hair with the blue stars,” Floyd said. “…The game has slowed down tremendously for him.”
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“You remember Kenny Lofton had that type of pop… Pete gets good leverage through the baseball,” Floyd added.
Lofton, who hit 383 doubles, 116 triples, and had 622 stolen bases over his 17-year career, may be a lofty comparison for the young Crow-Armstrong, but the similarities are certainly there. They have similar frames at 6 feet, around 180 pounds, and despite being better known for their defense and speed, have underrated power abilities.
Another interesting point by Floyd was how Crow-Armstrong seemed more comfortable to show his true colors, particularly with the audacious blue-starred hair earlier this year. Perhaps his off-field boldness has helped translate into increased on-field confidence.
Regardless of the exact cause of Crow-Armstrong’s hot start, Chicago fans should be excited and hopeful that he can keep up this pace.
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