PCA is Producing: Pete Crow-Armstrong is Packing a Punch for the Cubbies

by Elias Meredith 6/9/2025 FansOnlySportz

Credit: Instagram.com (@cubs)

Baseball is full of young exciting talent and Pete Crow-Armstrong is the epitome of baseball’s next generation from head to toe, from his dyed hair to the tight uniform to show off his athletic frame. PCA is a huge reason why the Chicago Cubs are atop the NL Central, but to say that I expected him to make this much of a jump in his sophomore season would be a falsehood.

Let’s take a look at the jump the Cubs’ center fielder made that has him poised for his first all-star appearance in 2025.

PCA was drafted in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the New York Mets out of Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles, California. At age 19, he shined in his first professional opportunity. Playing for the Single-A St. Lucie Mets, he slashed .417/.563/.500 in 32 plate appearances and displayed his athleticism defensively as well. The Mets recognized the value that PCA would have in the trade market after those handful of games in the minors. A little over a year after being selected by the Mets, PCA was dealt to the Cubs in exchange for Javier Baez, Trevor Williams, and cash considerations.

PCA would spend nearly two full years in the minors before making his major league debut on September 11, 2023 as a pinch runner and defensive substitution. In 2024, PCA had a rookie year filled with ups and downs, but the potential was there. He would slash .237/.286/.384 with ten home runs and stealing 27 bases in 30 attempts. 

PCA struggled at the plate throughout 2024, but he found his footing towards the end of the season, reaching base safely in twelve of his last fifteen games. He played stellar defense in center field and caused havoc on the base paths when on base. According to MLB’s Baseball Savant, PCA ranked in the 98th percentile in baserunning run value and 99th in fielding run value in 2024.

In 2025, PCA is arguably the best overall player in the MLB. He is slashing .277/.313/.559 with 17 long balls (T-8th in the league), 54 RBI (4th in the league), and 21 stolen bases (2nd in the league). He is also flashing the leather at an elite level in center field for the Cubs. He is truly one of the league’s rare five-tool players, and that puts him in the NL MVP conversation.

According to Baseball Savant, PCA ranks in the 91st percentile in batting run value and 100th percentile in baserunning and fielding run value. PCA also made history this season, becoming the fourth-fastest player in MLB history to record 15 home runs and 20 bags in a season, achieving the historical feat in 60 games.

The Chicago Cubs have been the surprise of the season. Currently 40-25 with a four game lead in the NL Central and one of three teams in the MLB with at least 40 wins thus far this season. If the Cubs want to make it to the postseason for the first time since 2020, they will need PCA to continue to play at a high level.

Thank you for reading!

Elias Meredith (@EAM_55)