Ever since Pete Crow-Armstrong put on a Chicago Cubs uniforms fans had one simple request, just hit a little. It’s kind of crazy how much hype there was surrounding PCA’s defense when he was in the minor leagues and yet in his first full season in MLB he not only lived up to those ridiculous expectations, he blew them away.
Oh and by the way, the 23-year-old also hit 31 home runs and stole 35 bases, ending the year with a 5.4 fWAR, the highest value for the Cubs in 2025. Oh, oh, and another thing! Back to the defense as Crow-Armstrong led all MLB outfielders with 19 five-star catches. That might not mean much to you, but by comparison the guy who finished second was Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu, who had nine.
What’s even crazier about PCA’s highlight reel is that he had more five-star catches than 28 of 29 teams had as a whole, individually. He tripled the average amount that each team made.
Crow-Armstrong was named the 2025 Gold Glove Winner in center field for the National League in what should be the first of many defensive awards to come his way.
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That puts PCA on an incredible list of players who have hit 30+ home runs, stole 30+ bases and won a gold glove in a single season, including Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Barry Larkin, plus Barry Bonds among other legends of the game.
Yes, Crow-Armstrong floundered at the plate in the second half, but you still have to look at the totality of his season and it will go down as one of the best individual seasons in not only Cubs history, but MLB history as well. Not bad for a guy who only had to hit a little to become a valuable player. Sky’s the limit with PCA.
