Chicago Cubs Rookie Makes Sensational Catches in First Start

Chicago Cubs top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong had a reputation for being one of the best fielding center fielders in the minors.

It appears that glovework is already translating to the Major League level.

Crow-Armstrong, who was called up on Monday by the Cubs and made his MLB debut late in Monday’s game, made his first start on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies.

Right away he showed off his range and his glove in the first inning when he tracked down a fly ball hit the Rockies’ Nolan Jones in the left-center field gap.

Pete Crow-Armstrong with his first standout catch in CF. He chases down Jones' fly ball that had 107.1 mph exit velo & makes leaping catch to rob him of extra bases off wall.

Ball had a .970 xBA.

Loud chants of "PCA! PCA!" at Coors Field after his catch: pic.twitter.com/6JpJeqvIfV
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) September 13, 2023

It was a fine catch. But what he did in the sixth inning — also to Jones — was so incredible it almost looked casual.

Crow-Armstrong ran from center field and into the right-center field gap where Jones drilled what looked to be an extra-base hit. This time, he had to go low and slide to make the catch, a catch that frankly he made look relatively easy, even though it wasn’t.

Between the amount of ground he covered and the timing/smoothness of his sliding catch an all-around stellar play by Pete Crow-Armstrong.

I imagine Nolan Jones will be happy to never see PCA in CF again after losing out on two hits because of his catches: pic.twitter.com/RcjATHWMo3
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) September 13, 2023

At the plate, Crow-Armstrong hit eighth in his first start and went 0-for-4. But, he drove in a run when he grounded into a fielder’s choice in the second inning.

Before he was called up by the Cubs, he had an excellent run at Triple-A Iowa, where he was promoted on Aug. 1 from Double-A Tennessee.

With the Iowa Cubs, he slashed .271/.350/.479/.829 with six home runs and 22 RBI. On Sunday, the day before his promotion, he hit a grand slam with the Iowa Cubs.