There are a lot of players whom the Chicago Cubs are going to be counting on to fill prominent roles in the lineup this season.
All eyes have been on their top prospect, Matt Shaw, who is expected to take over as the starting third baseman this year after Isaac Paredes was traded to the Houston Astros as part of the Kyle Tucker blockbuster.
After tearing up the minor leagues, he looks ready for the Major League assignment at the hot corner.
But, he isn’t the only young player who people should be keeping a close eye on.
Another that is worth watching throughout the year is center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. The dynamic outfielder wasted no time during his rookie year in 2024 showcasing his exciting skill set.
He already possesses a high floor because of two elite attributes that he possesses; his speed and defensive ability.
Last year, Crow-Armstrong stole 27 bases and was caught only three times despite having an underwhelming on-base percentage of only .286. If he can push that up near the league average of .322, he is going to push for more than 40 stolen bases.
His glove is elite in center, where he led the National League with eight outfield assists. He had an impressive 1.5 defensive bWAR and was positive across the board in Total Zone and RDS statistics.
Those two things are enough to keep Crow-Armstrong in the Major Leagues as a solid contributor for this team.
What will determine if he can reach All-Star level is his bat.
That, in large part, is why Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report named him the Cubs’ biggest X-factor heading into the 2025 season.
A .237/.286/.384 slash line leaves a lot to be desired, but he showed the kind of impact he is capable of having once he begun figuring things out in the second half.
.262/.310/.425 is a lot easier to deal with when providing Gold Glove-caliber defense and an above-average sOPS+.
In 236 plate appearances he had seven home runs, eight doubles and three triples with 30 RBI.
This spring, he has shown incredible improvement at the plate, producing a video game-esque .519/.500/1.000 slash line across 28 plate appearances with three home runs, four doubles, three stolen bases and 11 RBI.
Rymer believes a similar breakout to what Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox had in 2024, when he made his first All-Star team, could be on tap for Crow-Armstrong if the Grapefruit League production carries over into the regular season.
