The Chicago Cubs Have a New Top Prospect

Pete Crow-Armstrong's continued minor league success signals a quick rise through the organization's ranks and beyond.

As the Chicago Cubs took part in a fire sale at the 2021 MLB trade deadline, suddenly fans saw superstars — such as Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant — traded away for prospects who were still years away from the majors.

While parting with key pieces of the 2016 World Series championship team was tough, one of those prospects acquired via trade with the New York Mets is now primed to be a future star in Chicago.

He is 20-year-old outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who recently became the Cubs' newly No. 1 ranked prospect via MLB Pipeline. 

As the California native continues his string of dominance throughout the team's minor league system, the promotion bumps him from seventh to first on Chicago’s prospect list. Overall, he comes in at No. 31 in the top 100. 

A graduate of famed baseball powerhouse high school Harvard-Westlake, Crow-Armstrong was drafted by the Mets directly out of the program as the 19th-overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.

One year later, he found himself dealt from New York for superstar infielder Javy Báez.

Báez chose not to re-sign with the Mets in the offseason, and instead signed a six-year, $140 million deal with the Detroit Tigers. Early returns seem to indicate that the Cubs might have “won” the trade — seeing they now have a budding outfielder on the farm.

After a torn labrum in his non-throwing arm sidelined the 6-foot-0 lefty in 2021 after just six games in Low-A, 2022 has proven to be a year of development for the center fielder.

Beginning the 2022 minor league season with Low-A Myrtle Beach, a .300 batting average and 1.000 OPS in just 38 games sent him on his way to High-A South Bend.

In 185 at-bats, Crow-Armstrong has collected 48 hits, eight home runs, 22 RBI and 14 stolen bases with the High-A affiliate, putting both his power and speed on display.

While Chicago likely won’t see the standout in the majors until 2024, Crow-Armstrong provides a power bat and arm waiting in the wings. Perhaps most importantly, though, he provides a promising future for the Cubs and their loyal fans.

More From SI's Inside The Cubs:

1. Hoerner is the Cubs Shortstop of the Future
2. Steele Offers Glimpse Into Future of Cubs Rotation
3. Cubs, Reds, and Field of Dreams: Out Here in the Fields
4. Cubs Top Prospect to Return This Week
5. Leeper Saves the Day for Iowa, Hill Dazzles

---

Make sure to follow Inside the Cubs on Twitter!