How Bright a Star Can Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong Be?

With Team USA in a deep hole against Team Italy in its final game of pool play Tuesday, Pete Crow-Armstrong elicited the biggest American crowd reactions of the night.

USA fell behind 8-0 after the top of the sixth. That’s obviously a hole the group didn’t want to be in. It hadn’t even secured its spot in the next round entering the game, and the tiebreaker rules meant every run mattered.

A sixth-inning solo shot finally got Team USA on the board, but there was still plenty of ground to make up. Then, the Americans got back-to-back two-out hits in the seventh. Up to the plate stepped Crow-Armstrong — the No. 9 hitter in a star-studded lineup.

Crow-Armstrong worked a 1-2 count through four pitches against Italy’s Alek Jacob. He’d earlier flown out to deep center field, but he didn’t miss the mark on a changeup over the plate. Crow-Armstrong drilled the pitch to right field, cutting Italy’s lead to four.

Pete Crow-Armstrong makes things interesting for Team USA 👀#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/1PfbsHy6dl

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 11, 2026

But his night was far from over.

Two innings later, Crow-Armstrong came back up with USA facing a three-run deficit and only two outs to go. The Americans needed one last jolt, and Crow-Armstrong was up to the task. Again facing a 1-2 count, he blasted another homer to right field, trimming Italy’s lead once again.

PCA HOMERS AGAIN! #WORLDBASEBALLCLASSIC pic.twitter.com/yIgefIiqIi

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 11, 2026

Team USA ultimately couldn’t complete the thrilling comeback. That’s through no fault of Crow-Armstrong, though, as he more than pulled his weight in the comeback attempt.

That’s the kind of player Crow-Armstrong can be when things are going right. Now, the Chicago Cubs need him to find a way to do it for them in 2026.

Make no mistake about it, he certainly showed for a long while last season that he had it in him. His first half performance at the plate was electric. He posted a 131 wRC+ in 95 games while hitting 25 homers, driving in 71 runs and stealing 27 bases. Combining all of that with elite center field defense earned him an All-Star nod and made him a legitimate National League MVP candidate.

Crow-Armstrong’s second half was a different story. After the All-Star break, he posted only a 72 wRC+ in 65 games. He recorded six home runs, 24 RBIs and, surprisingly, eight stolen bases. The playoffs didn’t go any better for him, either.

His performance fell off to the point that, if not for his continued defensive excellence (he ultimately earned an NL Gold Glove Award), he might have lost playing time. Crow-Armstrong said it simply in a Feb. 23 feature in Chicago Magazine: “I hit 25 f**king homers in the first half and six in the second. That’s terrible.”

Even at only 23 years old — he’ll be 24 in a couple weeks — he’s pretty self-aware. And that’s part of what has helped him blossom into a budding superstar.

Crow-Armstrong carries himself well despite his age. Sure, there are those moments on the field, like after a bad strikeout, where the emotions get the best of him. But more often than that, he’s more cool and collected. Off the field, he’s well-spoken and isn’t afraid to let his true thoughts (and maybe a cuss word or two) come through, even when the cameras are rolling.

Part of being a star is being able to carry yourself like one. Crow-Armstrong still has some maturing to do, and that’ll come the more he gains experience and perspective at this level. But even with under two seasons’ worth of games under his belt, he gives off potential superstar vibes.

And then there’s the on-field performance that the Cubs and fans alike salivate at the thought of what his ceiling could be. On the defensive side, he led all outfielders with 24 outs above average (OAA) and finished second in fielding run value (FRV, 21). He made jaw-dropping plays in center field constantly, as evidenced by his 19 five-star catches — 10 more than second place.

Crow-Armstrong’s defense alone makes him an exciting watch. His consistent energy, passionate and fiery playing style and willingness to push the envelope make fans gravitate toward him. Just those characteristics put him on the path to stardom.

But if he’s finding success with the bat, too, there’s real star potential in there.

He reached that level for stretches of time last season. But he also hit valleys that left questions about how good he can be over the long haul. He needs to find a way to extend the highs and limit the lows. That’s what superstars in baseball are able to do.

Crow-Armstrong is probably the biggest X-factor on the Cubs’ roster in 2026. A lot of their success could come down to his individual performance.

If he can play like first-half-of-2025 PCA, or close to it, over the 162-game marathon, he could certainly be given that star status.

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