Nearly a 12 months in the past, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s injury-shortened debut season took one other twist.
Crow-Armstrong, the New York Mets’ first-round choose in 2020, was injured six video games into the schedule and had season-ending surgical procedure to restore the torn labrum in his proper shoulder. Those video games would stand as his solely motion within the Mets group.
Then he was traded to the Chicago Cubs for shortstop Javier Báez and right-hander Trevor Williams. Just days away from that anniversary, Crow-Armstrong admits it feels as if much more time has handed. When he appears to be like on the expertise he has performed with this season, the prospect can’t assist however gush.
“That’s one thing I love about the place the Cubs are in right now,” Crow-Armstrong informed the Tribune by telephone this week. “I feel lots of people are nervous about what’s occurring within the massive leagues and followers are stressing out and stuff, however from high to backside, the Cubs are in a very great place. We’ve acquired a number of guys within the decrease ranges doing the work and we’re making an attempt our greatest to rise up there.
“At the end of the day, all our goals are to be able to impact the club in the big leagues, and that’s what we’re here doing is getting ready to do that.”
With the best way Crow-Armstrong has continuined to development upward in his growth, the 2021 commerce ultimately might be a steal for the Cubs. Four of the Cubs’ top-10 prospects are at the moment at Low-A Myrtle Beach or High-A South Bend whereas two others — left-handers Jordan Wicks and DJ Herz — just lately have been promoted to Double-A Tennessee.
Crow-Armstrong has rapidly develop into a top-100 prospect in baseball, ranked No. 33 by Baseball American and No. 77 by MLB.com. And amongst Cubs prospects, Baseball America’s midseason replace has Crow-Armstrong as their high place participant, transferring him forward of outfielder Brennen Davis.
“We don’t put limits on any of our guys, we’re not going to rush things either,” vice chairman of participant growth Jared Banner mentioned of Crow-Armstrong’s big-league timeline. “Ultimately his performance is going to tell us what he’s ready for. So far, he’s done a great job, and we’ve been somewhat aggressive with him.”
Crow-Armstrong’s first full skilled season had him representing the Cubs within the Futures Game.
Playing within the July 16 showcase carried further which means for Crow-Armstrong, who grew up about 20 miles away from Dodger Stadium and had a number of family and friends on the recreation. He referred to as it a really particular, surreal expertise.
“Just getting to remind people that the Cubs prospects are here and there could have been a whole number of guys that got selected for this game, I feel very fortunate that it was me,” Crow-Armstrong mentioned. “I’m looking forward to watching whoever does it next year.”
Crow-Armstrong doubled and scored a run for the National League workforce. At one level, he was mic’d up whereas manning middle discipline within the sixth inning.
“The mic’d up part was a little nerve wracking,” Crow-Armstrong mentioned. “It was new, but it was fun. I felt like I did all right. I felt like an FBI agent with the earpiece thing.”
He was sidelined for 2 weeks in mid-June with a bone bruise stemming from jamming his wrist and hand on a feetfirst slide into second base. He in any other case has been wholesome, and it’s displaying in his offensive manufacturing.
“I don’t think that the game changes all that much as you go up,” Crow-Armstrong mentioned. “It’s just more strikes and guys have better command of all their pitches. So it’s about staying true to my approach still and keeping the good at-bats coming. I think once I started doing a little bit more of that, then the numbers started speaking for themselves.”
Crow-Armstrong confronted an adjustment interval after his promotion May 30 from Myrtle Beach to South Bend. He went from hitting .220/.230/.458 and a .687 OPS by way of 14 video games in June to producing a .274/.312/.562 line and an .873 OPS by way of 16 video games in July with South Bend.
“When you move up a level, you don’t become deprived of good pitches to hit, it’s just about being selective enough to get them,” Crow-Armstrong mentioned. “Being an aggressive hitter, it’s having the ability to discover a steadiness of aggressiveness and selectivity. And then with that comes the standard of at-bats and the higher swing choices.
“That was definitely something I could group into that first month of a slight struggle, but this season’s a learning curve for me. It’s a whole process, and I’m trusting in it.”
Crow-Armstrong additionally credited the Cubs for offering a number of information and analytics to assist him as wanted.
“There’s not a lot of information you’re searching for because they’ve provided the necessary tools and information to face any challenge head-on,” Crow-Armstrong mentioned. “It’s another thing I’m learning — you can’t do it by yourself.”
Crow-Armstrong’s efficiency by way of 68 video games at two ranges hasn’t essentially shocked the Cubs. Banner famous that, if something, the group is much more excited.
“We knew he had some power, but maybe not quite this much,” Banner mentioned. “He’s gotten a lot stronger. His swing’s gotten even better over time. But he does a lot of things really well, and we knew that. He’s just gotten a chance to go out on the field and show that this year.”
The elevated energy numbers take the left-handed-hitting Crow-Armstrong’s offensive profile and all-around worth to a different stage. In 68 video games between Low A and High A this 12 months, 33 of his 89 hits (37%) have gone for further bases, together with 13 house runs and eight triples.
Crow-Armstrong believes he all the time has been able to driving the ball for extra-base hits.
“I’ve been saying that since I was in high school,” he mentioned. “It’s just a matter of showing I can do it, and with a bigger sample size of games it’s becoming more apparent that I do have that in the tank.”
The energy manufacturing isn’t a results of Crow-Armstrong making an attempt to promote out for energy. Rather, he attributes it to a cleaner swing and higher choices.
“I’m just looking to drive the ball and catch my barrels,” Crow-Armstrong mentioned. “It may be a surprise to some people or not, but with the barrels that I keep catching, I’ll keep hitting some over the fence.”
Crow-Armstrong’s success is predominantly coming versus pitchers older than him. Only 22 of his 321 plate appearances this 12 months have been in opposition to pitchers youthful than 20 years previous. That’s not on his radar when he steps in to the batter’s field. But it highlights how the Cubs have challenged Crow-Armstrong and different younger hitters of their system, equivalent to fellow 20-year-old South Bend outfielder Owen Caissie, who has not confronted a pitcher youthful than him this 12 months.
“I want the best,” Crow-Armstrong mentioned. “I want to keep getting challenged and I want to keep showing that I can face these challenges head on and come out successful and come out a little bit better for it.”
Crow-Armstrong’s offensive manufacturing and growth shouldn’t overshadow his stellar defensive work in middle discipline. He possesses arm and the quickness and instincts to probably win a Gold Glove. He has made highlight-reel catches, and if Crow-Armstrong has his manner, it’s solely the start.
“There’s a lot more coming,” Crow-Armstrong mentioned. ”I might actually say I haven’t even had that a lot alternative to make a complete lot of these performs simply because our pitching employees hasn’t actually allowed hitters to get balls over our heads all that a lot. If the play’s going to occur, it’s going to be made.
“Our outfielders, our infielders, we’re always ready for it and we’re all more than capable of making the SportsCenter play. You’ve seen it from plenty guys, not just myself.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com