When you talk about the 2023 Chicago Cubs in September there is one thing that stands out the most: the highly anticipated call up of the #12 MLB Prospect and the Cubs #1 prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Hands down, PCA is one of the most hyped Cubs prospects in Cubs history, arguably on the level of Kris Bryant when he was lighting it up in the Cubs farm system in the early 2010s. He shown exactly why he has so much hype in his debut series against the Colorado Rockies earlier this week as he showed up in style.
Now that the series has concluded and we got our first glimpse at the kind of player PCA is, I believe it is a good time to hit on three key notes from his debut.
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong is even better defensively than we thought.
Oh yeah, he is elite at defense alright. I would even go as far to say that he will be one of the best defenders baseball has ever seen. In just his first inning in the outfield (and not just any outfield, this is the Coors Field outfield we are talking about) PCA made sure that you knew his name.
As soon as Rockies slugger Nolan Jones absolutely demolished a line drive into the left center field gap, PCA turned on the jets and tracked the hard hit ball all the way to the wall. At the very last second, PCA made a heroic leap to rob Jones of a hit that was certainly going to go for extra bases and certainly saved a run from scoring.
PETE CROW-ARMSTRONG. pic.twitter.com/TGxspu4aYn
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 13, 2023
This wouldn't be the only time that night he robbed Jones of a hit.
Just a few short innings later, PCA came in with a sliding catch of a Jones sinking line drive that left announcer Pat Hughes almost speechless and in complete awe.
Pete
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 13, 2023
Catches
All pic.twitter.com/oTHbwZNmE6
That 80 grade defense may just be underselling how heroic PCA is in center field.
2. It'll take some time for him to heat up at the plate.
While he absolutely put on a show in the outfield, not the same could be said about his showing at the plate. During the Rockies series PCA went 0-7 with 3 strikeouts and 1 RBI. I do not hold any of this against him as it is his first series in the big leagues and not everyone can make a statement with the bat right away. I do not think it is time to sound the alarm just yet and believe he will start putting it together as he gets more at bats.
3. His playing time will be limited, especially at the plate.
Cubs manager David Ross even said it himself. During an interview on 670TheScore, Ross stated: “We’re not developing players right now. We’re trying to win games. Pete’s skill set is a real value in these big outfields we’re going to have. Pete will get some at-bats. I think he’ll come in for defensive purposes at times, gives us the flexibility, another Mike Tauchman to insert him in pinch-hit situations like we did last night, and he came through with a big at-bat. We got more roster talent now."
Cubs manager David Ross: Newly promoted Pete Crow-Armstrong will get 'some at-bats,' but 'we're not developing players right now'https://t.co/p7oNgmvl2L via @BernsyHolmes pic.twitter.com/QRV4KUku4W
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) September 12, 2023
As expected, many Cubs fans were not happy with this and were quick to pull out the pitchforks and hammer Ross for his statement. While I understand where these fans are coming from, I also understand where Ross is coming from as well. PCA was not brought up to play full time and he shouldn't be playing full time as of yet on a team that is in the midst of a pennant race.
PCA's best tools are his speed and his fielding. Nobody should be arguing about that as we all know just how great those tools are and they are exactly why he is as highly touted of a prospect as he is. Ross even touches on this in the interview going on to state the following: "...But he’s an exciting young man out there. We’re trying to take advantage of his skill set, and we’ll try to curtail that to help us win ballgames in the middle of competing night in and night out.”
I agree with Ross here. The best way to utilize PCA is to take advantage of his fielding and speed with perhaps a few starts here and there against right handed pitchers.
